Don't Fear The Reaper
by gatechic
Summary: You'll have to read the description and author's notes. This is based on Stephen King's 'The Stand'. Epilogue is up!
1. Chapter 1

Title: Don't Fear the Reaper

Author: Lori

Disclaimer: Don't own the characters from 'The Invisible Man' or 'The Stand'. But I sure do love to write about them. No money is being made from this.

Category: Horror, Suspense, Drama, whatever…

Rating: R to NC-17 for violence, some graphic imagery and Bobby/Claire smut.

Spoilers: Lots of them. This fic follows the TV Mini Series and the book "The Stand", with some minor changes. So if you haven't seen or read it you'll know what the outcome is. There are also some spoilers for I-Man as well.

Description: The Super Flu kills nearly the entire earth's population, but a few pockets of people survive. Darien, Hobbes and Claire are having strange dreams of an old black woman and a dark man. They set out to find the answers to the mysteries of Mother Abigail and Randall Flagg. Darien finally meets the devil face to face. Will he survive?

Author's Notes: This is in response to Neko's Stephen King retirement fic challenge. We could either write a King-ish I-Man story or a crossover. I chose the crossover. I became a huge fan of his after reading 'The Dead Zone' and for years after that I couldn't put any of his books down. Thanks to Alli for beta reading this for me. The President's speech is taken from Stephen King's "The Stand" the way it appears mostly in the book on page 219-220 (paperback version). "Baby Can You Dig Your Man" lyrics are taken from "The Stand" by Stephen King. Lyrics to 'Born To Be Wild' are by Steppenwolf. I really don't know what the "G" stands for in Darien G. Fawkes, so I used the name "Gerard", since that is one of Vincent Ventresca's middle names.

Warning: There will be major character deaths. Sorry, but not everyone can survive Captain Trips.

Prologue

For two years I thought I was the only secret weapon that the Government had. I was wrong, seems like they were developing another weapon. While our President pushed for Congress to declare war on Iraq because of bio-chemical weapons that Hussein might have, we were making our own weapon for germ warfare. What was that saying about glass houses?

Okay, so here's how it all started. This dude, Campion, an MP at a Government Reservation, he was what you would call the gatekeeper. Well, one day, all hell broke loose. That nifty little flu bug was not going to be contained. Campion was ordered to close the gate, well he did what any highly trained MP would do…he ran. Campion got his wife and baby and took off, broke through the gate and high tailed it out of dodge. The odd thing was, this guy got halfway across the country and eventually ended up in Arnette, Texas as he crashed into Hap's Service Station. How he lived that long is amazing since most of the people on the reservation died within 12 minutes. Later I learned that the super flu mutated once it got out.

The sad thing is the Government thought they had this bug contained in Arnette, Texas. But I mean, this guy and his family had to stop for some Happy Meals you know what I'm saying. So much for containment, every place this guy stopped at the flu was spread to everyone there and they brought it home to their families, work and schools. BAM…instant epidemic. Our country had been plagued by racial or ethnic profiling, this bug was no respecter of person, age or otherwise.

Back to Hap's station, there were about five guys there that night, one of them I would meet, Stu Redman. He was the only one to survive out of that group of men that had the unfortunate pleasure of meeting up with Campion. The wife and baby were already dead and Campion died shortly after.

There would be cover-ups and the army would try to keep a lid on things by killing innocent people who had too much information. A lot of them would be reporters and even radio talk show hosts that fell under the strong arm of the military. But that was nothing compared to what was down the road for me, Hobbes and Claire. There would be a battle between good and evil. Those of us who were lucky enough to survive the flu…some luck, huh? We would be faced with a decision to make, what side of the fence we were going to be on to make our stand?

Captain Trips…that's what we called it here on the West Coast…spread quicker than quicksilver. Killing people and even some animals worldwide, within a week's time, the world had ended not with a bang but with a whimper. Well of course that's from T.S. Elliott, but my version would be, "this is how the world ends, not with a bang, but with a cough."

Chapter 1

There's an old Jewish Folk saying that goes like this; "One should not stand at the foot of a sick person's bed, because that place is reserved for the guardian angel." Well, there are going to be a lot of guardian angels standing at the foot of beds real soon.

Beep…Beep…Beep Darien lazily swung his arm over his body and his hand landed on his alarm clock, silencing it with a thud. His eyes peeked opened and a moan was pushed past his partly opened lips, "Ugghhhh…oh man." Darien grudgingly got out of bed and took a much needed eye opening shower. With a turn of the handle, water shot out of the shower head, flattening his wild hair to his scalp. Darien stood there for a few minutes allowing the water to run down his body before picking up the shampoo.

When he was dressed he made himself a cup of coffee and quick breakfast. The controls to his TV were right beside him, "Well, let's see what kind of mess the world is in today." Darien said with a mouthful of food as clicked on the TV. As usual, the war in Afghanistan topped the news along with the situation with Hussein. Darien rolled his eyes and switched to local news.

Darien saw the reports of a few pockets of some kind of flu outbreak in parts of the city but didn't pay too much attention to it. He grabbed his jacket and headed out the door. On his way he saw military vehicles of all sizes going up and down the streets, "What is going on here?" Darien was too focused on what was happening in the streets that he never saw the black crow sitting on top of a parked car, watching him as he drove by.

Darien walked casually into the Official's office late as usual. He sat down and eyed the Official who wasn't looking good, "Hey, boss, you don't look well."

"Glad you could make it, Fawkes. Now that everyone is here, I need everyone to listen to what I have to say. We're just a handful of people who know what is going on." The Official starts to cough.

Darien raised his hand, "Just what is going on here?"

"We're under Marshall Law, my friend. The army has taken over San Diego and we're not the only ones. Cities all over the country are under Marshall Law, they just don't know it yet." Hobbes said looking a bit on the paranoid side.

"Under the circumstances, Darien and Claire, I'm ordering you two to go to the CDC here in San Diego. Darien, you will be kept in isolation and Claire will watch over your condition."

Darien rolled his eyes, "Aw come on, Chief, I'm not sick."

"Exactly and I want you to stay that way. You three seem to be only ones not sick at this Agency so far. That is why Hobbes, you will be staying here. There are no cases right now and my first priority is to protect the gland." The Official started coughing again and Eberts tried to comfort him.

Hobbes put his hand to his mouth as if trying to protect himself from the germs, "That doesn't sound good, Chief, what you need is bed rest and some good ol' fashion Jewish penicillin."

"Not now, Hobbes. I'm not going to lie to you, this is an epidemic…"

"No kidding," Darien said.

"It's believed that this is a super flu developed by the military and somehow got out. It is highly contagious; it has a communicable rate of over 99%. Claire, I want you to download everything you have on the gland, all your research, whatever you have and give it to Hobbes."

Claire looked at Hobbes and Darien with fear, "Why?"

"Because after you leave with Darien, I'm destroying the lab equipment and everything that has to do with this project," The Official started coughing again, "Now get what you need and leave."

Darien and Claire slowly got up and looked at each other, "I'll help you, Claire."

"Uhmmm…sir, is it alright if I give Fawkes and Keep a hand, there's got to be loads of stuff down there?" Hobbes asked in a voice full of dismay.

"Yes, you can." The Official paused and then spoke, "Darien!"

Darien turned and looked at The Official. If Darien didn't know better he'd say that the Official looked worse than when he first walked in and Eberts was looking pretty bad himself now, "It's been a pleasure…I know I haven't always shown it…" The Official couldn't continue.

Darien looked down, swallowed the lump in his throat and turned his gaze towards the Official for the last time, "Yeah…same here." Darien walked out with Claire and Hobbes.

"Claire, is this Captain Trips thing really that bad?" Darien asked.

"I'm afraid it is. There has been no case of someone getting better. This is the real thing." Claire looked at Darien and Hobbes with a dire expression on her face.

"While you're at the CDC with Fawkes there, will you try to find a cure?" Hobbes asked as he packed some of her things.

"I think a cure is out of the question. We three seem to be okay, they may want to find out why we're not sick." Claire was just about to finish downloading when the door to the keep opened. All three turned to see army men with guns and face masks staring back at them. A guy in a suit with a clip board in hand approached them.

"Agent Darien Fawkes and Dr. Claire Keeply, you two are to follow us immediately."

"Whoa…hey, so soon?" Darien asked looking at Hobbes.

"I'm sorry Agent Fawkes, but we are under orders to get you and Dr. Keeply to the CDC as soon as possible." The man in the suit said. He gazed around and kept checking his watch.

"What's the matter there, think you're going to run out of time or catch Captain Trips if you stay here too long?" Darien said sarcastically. He turned to Hobbes, "Hey, man…uhmmm, thanks for everything." Darien held out his hand to low five Hobbes.

"You take care of yourself okay, oh and Keepie too. Mark my words, my friend; you have not seen the last of Bobby Hobbes." Hobbes gave Darien a low five. Claire came up to him and they hugged, "Claire, I should have told you way before all this began, I love you."

Claire kissed him on his cheek, "I know, Bobby and I love you too."

Hobbes watched as his two best friends left and the door slid shut leaving him alone in the Keep. He looked around and for the first time realized that emptiness had a sound. Hobbes looked up, "Keep them safe and let me find them again." He started shredding papers that Claire left behind. It was his job to make sure that not even a crumb was left behind about the QS9300 Project. Hobbes knew that the flu was deadly and he wondered if Chrysalis was immune.

Claire sat in the back of the troop transport truck close to Darien. He had his arm wrapped around her, "Claire, you're shaking."

"I'm just scared that's all. Darien, we have no idea what is going to happen."

"I know, Claire. The government can put up the money for a 17 million dollar gland but they can't make sure they have a cure for the flu they invent." Darien glared at the man in the suit. The truck stopped suddenly and there were some shouts. "Hey, what's going on?" Darien asked.

One of the soldiers came to the back and reported that there was an accident in the intersection. "Terrific," Darien said shaking his head.

After a few minutes their little caravan was moving again. Claire and Darien watched as they went past the three car collision. "Whoa…look at that crow standing on top of the car." Darien got a cold chill up his spine and his whole body shuddered.

"Darien, are you okay?" Claire asked with alarm.

"I don't know, it was weird," Darien looked in the direction of the cars and the crow was gone. He kept staring at the cars trying to decide if he really felt a cold presence when he saw the crow.

Claire knew that he was lying, "Darien, I'm worried about you now. What just happened?" She checked his forehead for a fever, "You're cold and clammy and your pulse is elevated."

"Isn't that usually what happens when someone has the bejeebees scared out of them?" Darien said with a trembling voice.

"What?"

"I'll tell you later." Darien turned and stared in the direction of the accident. He wasn't sure how he was going to explain to Claire that the voice he used to hear in the back of his mind before the onset of QSM, he heard again. But this time instead of hearing it from the back of his mind, he heard it from the crow perched atop one of the cars and he heard it calling his name.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Reality is wrong. Dreams are for real." -Tupac Shakur

Darien sat on his bed flipping through the channels when the station flashed a Special Report. "Great, now what?" The next thing Darien saw was the President sitting behind his desk. "Okay, this should be interesting," Darien turned up the volume to listen.

"…a great nation such as this must do. We cannot afford to jump at shadows like small children in a dark room' but neither can we afford to take this serious out-break of influenza lightly…"

"Influenza?" Darien snorted at the TV.

"…My fellow Americans, I urge you to stay at home. If you feel ill, stay in bed, take aspirin, and drink plenty of clear liquids. Be confident that you will feel better in a week at most."

"Oh what a bunch of…you'll feel better alright, you'll be dead!" Darien said out loud to the TV.

"Let me repeat what I said at the beginning of my talk to you this evening, there is no truth—no truth---to the rumor that this strain of flu is fatal."

Darien shook his head from side to side, "Oh man,"

"In the greatest majority of cases, the person afflicted can expect to be up and around and feeling fine within a week, Further…" The President goes into a spasm of coughing.

"Asta la vista, Mr. President." Darien sighed.

"Further, there has been a vicious rumor promulgated by certain radical anti-establishment groups that this strain of influenza has been somehow bred by this government for some possible military use. Fellow Americans, this is a flat out falsehood, and I want to brand it as such right here and now. This country signed the revised Geneva Accords on poison gas, nerve gas, and germ warfare in good conscience and in good faith. We have not now nor have we ever…" The President starts to sneeze.

Claire walked into the room, "Hello, Darien."

Darien pointed to the TV, "Do you believe this crap?"

"…have we ever been a party to the clandestine manufacture of substances outlawed by the Geneva Convention. This is a moderately serious outbreak of influenza, no more and no less. We have reports tonight of outbreaks in a score of other countries, including Russia and China. Therefore we…" The President starts to cough and sneeze.

"He has to say these things to protect the public, you know that." Claire put her tray down to draw some more blood.

"…we ask you to remain calm and secure in the knowledge that late this week or early next, a flu vaccine will be available for those not already on the mend. National Guardsmen have been called out in some areas to protect the populace against hooligans, vandals, and scare-mongers, but there is absolutely no truth to the rumors that some cities have been 'occupied' by regular army forces or that the news has been managed. My Fellow Americans, this is a flat-out lie, and I want to brand it as such right here and now."

"Oh it's been managed alright…news crews are being hunted down and shot."

"Darien, you don't really believe that do you?" Claire put the tourniquet around Darien's arm.

"Well sure, I mean, obviously the President's been managed. He didn't say anything near the truth." Darien paused, "Well, that's not out of the ordinary is it?" He watched as Claire carefully drew his blood, "How long have we been here, Keep?"

"Three days, Darien." Claire is wearing one of those isolation suits that make her look like she's about ready to go on a space walk. "We're still the only two in this whole place who are not sick yet."

"Then what's up with the banana suit? It's not very flattering, you know." Darien held the gauze in place to stop the bleeding. "How's Hobbes?"

"I talked to him just a few minutes ago. I told him that they won't let you talk to anybody, he sends his regards." Claire marked her vials and put them in the caddy.

"Claire, is he sick or not?" Darien knew when Claire was holding something back.

"No, Darien, Bobby is not sick. The Official died last night and Eberts is very sick. Bobby doesn't think he'll last much longer." Claire turned to look at Darien, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. The strange thing now is Hobbes is in charge of the Agency, well, what's left of it anyway." Darien turned off the TV, "What happens to us if we don't get sick?"

"Well, with Bobby in charge of the Agency, the first thing he did was tear up the Official's order to harvest the gland," Claire smiled at Darien. "I don't think they'll keep us here, everyone is getting sick."

"Hobbes won't order the gland removed, but what about these people? I mean, do you know what they're orders are concerning us? They're probably killing people out there, Claire. Maybe reporters are getting gunned down. How do we know that we're safe in here?"

"Okay, tell you what, at the first sign of trouble, we'll leave and find Bobby." Claire patted Darien on his shoulder and left the room. Darien leaned back in his bed and after awhile, fell asleep.

Hobbes was the only one that reported to work. Everyone was at home sick. He spent the better part of the day destroying documents and when he was done, officially shut down the agency. His conversation with Claire had proved to be the best part of his day. He was glad to hear that both Claire and Darien still had no signs of the flu. He said a quick prayer of thanks and he smiled as he thought, 'I guess it's time like these that people start praying again.' He rested his head on his arms and promptly fell asleep.

Claire brought Darien's blood samples to the lab and noticed that it was just her. Sadness came over her and she sat down and wept. The release of her emotions was more than what her body could handle and she fell into a deep slumber.

Darien looked surprised as he found himself walking through a cornfield. Off in the distance he heard the sound of a guitar and someone singing, as he got closer, he recognized the tune as an old gospel song.

**"**What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!  
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!  
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,  
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer."

Darien watched the old black woman on the rocking chair play her guitar and sing. This was different from any dream he has had in the past. The old woman and the song gave him comfort for a reason he didn't understand.

"Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?  
We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer.  
Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share?  
Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer."

The old woman looked up and smiled, "Well, look who we have here. My name is Abigail Freemantle, but folks around these parts just call me Mother Abigail. You get your friends and come see me."

"What is this place?" Darien felt something move at his feet and when he looked down there was nothing there.

"Come see me, Darien and all your friends, bring them to Hemingford, Nebraska." Mother Abigail continued to play and sing her song.

"Wait, how did you know my name?" Darien suddenly found himself in the middle of the cornfield and away from the old black woman, "Mother Abigail!" He shouted as loud as he could. Something fury scurried over his bare feet and he looked down to see rats running all around him, "Aw crap!" Darien started to run, but he couldn't out run the rats. He stopped when he saw a dark figure in the corn; he froze and stared as the eyes of the dark figure burned with fire.

"Darien." The figure's voice sounded like the wind on a cold night.

Darien bolted up in bed and looked around the room. He was back in the isolation room. He moved his feet over the side of the bed and ran his hand through his hair. "Okay, first it's a crow saying my name, now it's an old black woman playing a guitar singing gospel songs in front of a cornfield with rats and a dark man with red eyes. Yep, I'm losing it."

"He speaks, and the sound of His voice,  
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,  
And the melody that He gave to me  
Within my heart is ringing.

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,  
And He tells me I am His own;  
And the joy we share as we tarry there,  
None other has ever known."

The singing and the sound of the guitar was Hobbes guide through the cornfield. He walked up the porch and the old black woman stopped her playing. "Folks around these parts call me Mother Abigail. I'm 106 years old and still make my own bread. I've lived here in Hemingford, Nebraska my whole life. You bring your friends, Bobby and come see me."

Hobbes looked at the old black woman on the rocking chair, "Am I dreaming, cause Bobby Hobbes doesn't dream."

Mother Abigail smiled at Hobbes, "May hap you is and may hap you ain't."

A flash of lightning and thunder caused the conversation to stop. Hobbes looked up, "A bad storm is coming, maybe you should go inside."

"It's a storm that no one can't hide from, Bobby. It's a storm that you and others will fight. Come see me."

Hobbes turned around quickly and there was a man standing in front of him with glowing red eyes. The dark man bared his pointed teeth at Hobbes, "Boo."

Hobbes sat up at the desk and looked around the room, "What is going on here?" As he got up he heard the black woman's voice again, "Get your friends and come see me." He went to the door and turned to make sure he still wasn't dreaming. He was awake but the smell of the cornfield was still in his nostrils.

Claire made her way through the cornfield. She stopped when she heard the sound of singing and a guitar.

"Oh, Jesus is a Rock in a weary land,

A weary land, a weary land;

Oh, Jesus is a rock in a weary land

A shelter in the time of storm." 

"What is this place?" Claire asked. 

"This is Hemingford, Nebraska. You need to bring your friends to see me, Claire." The old black woman said. 

"How do you know my name?" Claire asked looking around. 

"That don't matter, what matters is you need to get yourself and Darien out of the place they have you hold up." 

Claire looked around and she was alone in the cornfield, "Hello, where are you? I don't even know your name." Claire called out from the field. 

"Folks in these parts call me Mother Abigail, now wake up!" 

The old woman's voice rang out in Claire's ears. She popped her head up and shook the cob webs from her head. She remembered the urgency in the woman's voice and she ran for the door. Claire reached the isolation and saw Darien struggling with one of the doctors. A shot rang out in the isolation and Darien backed away from the doctor, his white t-shirt stained with blood. Claire covered her mouth and screamed. 

"Darien!!! Nooooo!!!" 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from." -T. S. Eliot, "Four Quartets"

Hobbes tried to navigate the city streets as best he could, but with Golda it was just too hard. Cars and trucks blocked the streets. Some were abandoned by their owners and with some; the drivers were dead behind the wheels. "Influenza, my ass," Hobbes said as he ran down the street towards the CDC building. He felt a strong urgency, he doesn't know where it came from, but he needed to get there fast.

Claire watched as Darien seemed to be mesmerized by the blood on his shirt and on his hands, "Shock, it must be shock." Claire snapped herself out of the trance and hit the button to let her inside the room. Darien was still standing and she ran up to him, "Darien, let me see."

"I think I'm okay, Claire…its him."

Claire saw the doctor stumble and fall to the ground. Everything had happened so fast. Claire had not seen the struggle. Darien had somehow turned the gun around and it went off, sending the bullet into the other man. The blood on Darien's shirt came from the doctor. She still checked Darien lifting up his shirt and checking for any wounds just to make sure, "Come on, let's get you a clean shirt and get the hell away from this place."

"He was ordered to kill us, Claire." Darien was obviously still in shock.

"Look, Darien, we have to go now!" Claire pushed him out of the isolation and found a clean scrub top for him. Just as Darien changed his shirt, the power went out.

"Don't suppose you have a flash light do you?" Darien asked.

"The emergency generators should kick in any moment." As if on cue, the emergency lights came on and gave the lab an eerie yellow glow. "Let's go find Bobby," Claire said as she pushed Darien along.

Darien and Claire ran down a hall that had bodies all over the place. Some were leaning up against the wall and some were flat on the ground. Their faces in an eternal state of distress stared back at Darien and Claire. Blood had started to coagulate around the noses and mouths of the ones claimed by the flu. The area around the eyes was puffy, much like you would expect from a few insect bites. As Darien ran by one corpse it turned its gaze on him, "Dark man's coming for you, Darien."

Darien let out a scream and Claire screamed with him, "Dahrien, don't do that!" Her English accent was thicker than usual in her moment of fear. Her heart was skipping was so fast she thought it would explode from her chest.

"I'm sorry, but I tend to get scared when a dead guy talks to me okay," Darien said clutching his chest. It was all he could do to keep the quicksilver from flowing.

"What?" Claire looked around, "There's no one alive here, except us of course and we won't be if we stand around chit chatting!" Claire's tone was full of fear.

"Claire, I know what I saw and heard…" Darien paused, "Did you hear that?"

"Yes, it sounded like it came from down there," Claire felt Darien put a hand on her shoulder and she was quickly covered in coldness.

"Don't make a sound and keep contact with me," Darien started to walk towards the sound and then stopped, "What are we doing? Let's go the other way."

"I'm for that," Claire kept her fingers wrapped around Darien's hand. The sounds were getting closer, "It sounds like someone is running."

"Maybe not everyone is dead or they sent someone in to make sure we're all dead," Darien whispered. "Oophfff," he tripped over a hand that belonged to a corpse and he fell taking Claire with him. He landed on the corpse and Claire landed on top of him, "Augghhh, God!! Claire, get up…get off me!"

"Fawkes!!! Claire!!!" The familiar Brooklyn laced accent called out.

"Bobby? Bobby!!! Is it really you?" Claire hustled to her feet and ran towards Hobbes.

Darien leapt off the corpse and shuddered. He rubbed his hands over his clothes and noticed that Claire was gone, "Hey, Claire!"

"Over here, Darien. It's Bobby!" Claire's voice sounded relieved.

"Oh man, Hobbes!" Darien followed the direction of Claire's voice and quickly found Hobbes. The three embraced. "Okay, I'm all for reunions, but can we take this outside and out of this little shop of horrors?" Darien said in a trembling voice.

"I'm with you, partner, it's creepy in here." Hobbes led them out of the CDC building and to the outside world, "It's not any better out here."

This was the first time in three days that Darien and Claire saw outside. The two looked at each other, "This is not influenza." Claire stated.

"My God, what have we done?" Darien asked.

"Brought about the end, my friend." Hobbes commented.

Cars were butted up against each other, bodies lying half in half out of cars. Some people died right on the bus benches and some just fell on the sidewalk or the street. There were fires off in the distance and two close by. Sounds of rioters could be heard off in the distance with some sporadic gun fire. The smell of death was certainly in the air.

"We better not stay here too long, it's getting dark." Hobbes couldn't keep his eyes off the tragic sight before him.

Darien looked at Claire and understood Hobbes' concern, "I think we should arm ourselves too."

"Already took care of that," Hobbes handed Darien one of his weapons and handed Claire her gun. "Now, let's find someplace safe to go and get you some clothes, partner." Hobbes had noticed that all Darien had on was sweat pants, a t-shirt and no shoes or socks, just his bare feet. The three moved quickly down the street, keeping their eyes on their surroundings.

After going shopping while avoiding some rioters, the trio made it back to what was left of the Agency. Hobbes had been disappointed to find that Golda had been stripped and was not going to be driven again. Another casualty claimed by Captain Trips.

Darien worked on the keypad to the Keep to get the door opened. The electricity had gone out and the back up generator never kicked in. Within minutes, Darien and Hobbes had by-passed the locking mechanism and the door slightly opened. That gave them enough room to push it open enough to slide through. They propped the door open just in case it decided to slide shut on them.

Claire rolled out the sleeping bags and Darien put together the battery operated lamps. They quietly ate the food that didn't need to be cooked. It was a lot to take in. The world the way they knew it had changed in the course of a week. For all they knew, the three of them were all that was left of the Agency.

"Okay, so what's the plan? We obviously can't stay here." Darien broke the silence.

"We head east," Hobbes stated.

"Let me guess…Hemingford, Nebraska." Darien jokingly said.

Claire looked at Darien in shock, "The old black woman?"

"'I'm 106 years old and I still make my own bread'…" Hobbes stopped and looked at Darien and Claire.

"Whoa…okay, now this is freaking me out. How can we be having the same dream?" Darien looked at Claire.

"This is impossible," Claire chuckled.

"Yeah, that's what you said about Big Foot," Darien retorted. The silence came over them again as each of them tried to figure it out in their own minds.

Hobbes broke the silence, "I say we go to Nebraska and find out what all this means. There are other survivors out there; maybe they're having the same dream. That's the only way we're going to get to the bottom of this."

"Or they're dreaming of the other guy," Darien added. Claire and Hobbes turned their gaze downward. "Wait, you two dreamed of the dark man too?"

"The one with the face buttons on his jacket?" Claire said in a shaky voice.

"I didn't notice that, I was too busy being scared," Darien settled into his sleeping bag.

"I'll take first watch, Fawkes. You need to get some rest. We'll leave early in the morning. Hopefully those mooks out there will drink themselves into a stupor and sleep well into the morning." Hobbes checked his gun and started for the door when he turned around, "Claire, can you ride a motorcycle?"

"I've only ridden on the scooter, but Darien drove it. I'm a fast learner, I can manage." Claire winked at Hobbes.

Hobbes thought for a moment, "We'll give you a quick lesson. Motorcycles will be our best bet to move around the road blocks. We'll each have one just in case one breaks down. That okay with you Fawkes?"

"Fine with me. We'll need some more camping equipment too. We should think about using one tent. There's safety in numbers." Darien said.

"Good point, Darien. It would be best to stay together as much as possible." Claire settled into her bag and snuggled up close to Darien. Hobbes watched with a cautious eye and chased the jealousy away. She was only looking for comfort, knowing that she was not alone. Like a kid does when they have a bad dream and this was one bad dream. They would need each other if they were going to survive.

During the night, nothing happened and Hobbes was grateful. Still it was strange camping out in the Keep. The memories of the place seemed so distant now. Good times and bad times experienced in one simple room. Now it looked like that time when Darien went quicksilver mad and it took both Claire and Hobbes to inject him with the counteragent. The Keep was in such a mess that day. Before he woke up Darien for his shift, Hobbes glanced around the dimly lit room and smiled. He heard a moan from Darien and knew what he was dreaming about.

Darien's watch was now over and things had remained calm, except the dreams. "Hey, Claire, time to wake up." Darien shook Claire and she moaned. He smiled at her, "Now, don't give me that, at least you didn't have guard duty."

Claire opened her eyes and smiled, "I can stand guard too you know."

Hobbes sat up, "It's time already?"

"Yes, oh fearless leader," Darien started to roll up his sleeping bag. He caught the gaze he was getting from Hobbes, "Well, you are the oldest on this field trip. That's makes you leader."

Hobbes glared at Darien, "Experience, my friend, it's all about experience."

Hobbes got up to get his things together. Before they walked out, they looked around. This had been home away from home for two years. It was a room that Darien loved to hate, but it was also the room where the madness ended with one simple injection. It was a place were friendship was born and a bond forged by loyalty. Darien had always hoped that one day he would say good bye to this place and the tan leather chair, but this wasn't the way it was supposed to turn out. He was supposed to walk away with the gland out of his head and out of his life. Now the chances of that happening was gone because of a germ that you couldn't even see. The future for Darien was as unsure as it was when he held his dying brother in his arms.

Things were still the same when they walked outside. Darien sighed, "Guess it's not a dream after all."

"No and we better get moving." Hobbes started to walk up the street. It was hard for them not to look and stare with disgust at the corpses lying around. He had seen the Official and Eberts go down hill fast. Hobbes assumed that by now Eberts was gone as well. Every corpse Hobbes saw, he saw the face of Eberts and Borden.

Darien wished he could show more dignity for them and turn his head away, but human curiosity was too much to control. It was hard for him to think of the Official and Eberts in this condition and he was glad he didn't see them. The hardest for him to bear were the children and the babies, so innocent and yet they had to suffer for the mistakes of the adults. He wanted out of the city and out into the country fast.

At around 7:30 in the morning, Hobbes, Claire and Darien made it to the Harley Davidson motorcycle dealership. They went inside and didn't spend too much time being picky. They all three decided on the same model, but in three different colors. Claire picked the blue FLSTC/ Heritage Softail Classic. Darien picked a two tone red/black bike and Hobbes chose the all black one. They fitted their bikes with saddlebags and passenger back seats for the backpacks they were going to get.

The three of them ran around the dealership like kids in a candy store, picking up what ever they would need for their trip. Hobbes spotted a map and started checking out which way to go while Darien and Claire continued to help themselves.

"You know, Claire, I expect to hear sirens any moment." Darien smiled as he put on a jacket.

"Me too, Dahrien."

Darien always did enjoy the way her accent made his name sound. He shook his head as his two best friends shared in the occupation of his past life. But was this really thieving at this point?

"Okay, I think I have our route," Hobbes announced.

"Our rout…really?" Darien said pronouncing the word differently.

Claire laughed and tried on a denim jacket for herself, she looked at herself in the mirror. Her mouth opened wide when she saw the boots, "I want those…" she walked quickly and picked up the classic black rider boots. She went to the back and found her size. She walked out of the back wearing blue jeans, a black shirt, the black boots and the blue jean jacket. "Hi guys," Claire said as she strolled around displaying her new found clothing.

"Whoa…you are born to be wild, Claire." Darien said. "How come you never wore that around the Keep?"

The last time Hobbes had seen Claire dressed for action was when they were going to rescue Darien from Chrysalis. But this, this was by far the hottest she's ever looked. Hobbes let out a low groan, "You look great, Claire."

Claire put on her sunglasses and pulled black gloves out of her back pocket, "Lets ride."

Darien and Hobbes looked at each other. "I think I'm going to call her 'Hopper'," Darien commented. He and Hobbes got up and went on a little shopping spree of their own.

With the camping equipment and backpacks finally loaded on their bikes, Darien, Hobbes and Claire were ready to ride east. For some reason they had decided to avoid Las Vegas all together so their travel plans were to go to Phoenix and from there, to Hemingford, Nebraska. The first leg of their trip would take five and a half hours non-stop. Since that is too long to sit on bikes without a break, they agreed to stop at the half way point. From Phoenix, Hobbes figured another five hours of travel time until they reached Chambers, Arizona with a stop at the half way point in Flagstaff, AZ. The city of Chambers would be the place to stop for the night.

They got on their freely acquisitioned bikes and made their way east on I-8, the interstate road that would lead them out of San Diego and towards Phoenix.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4  
  
"Once the game is over, the king and the pawn go back in the same box." -Italian Proverb  
  
Once out of the city, traveling had become easier. There were less pile ups on the interstate as the trio rode further east away from San Diego and out into the open. Some cars were still smoldering as Darien, Hobbes and Claire drove by. Each of them would cover their noses and mouths to keep from smelling the stench of death.  
  
At the California/Arizona state line, the trio took a rest stop. It was a long hard ride out of the city and on to the interstate. I-8 would take them 271 miles east until they needed to head north for about 30 miles and then east again for an additional 30 miles.   
  
Claire kicked her stand down and stretched off her bike with a moan, rubbing her backside, "Owww, how long have we been riding?"  
  
"Two hours and we still have at least another seven hours to go before we stop for the night," Hobbes said as he stretched his legs out.  
  
Darien did some exercises to get the kinks out of his long legs, "Two hours and we feel like this?" He pulled out his canteen and took a drink of water. "Guess it's like riding a horse, if you're not used to it."  
  
"It'll get better, Claire." Hobbes said. "You just need to toughen up," Hobbes winked at her.  
  
Claire smiled back, "Well, there's only way for me to toughen up, let's get going." She got back on her bike and started it up.  
  
Darien and Hobbes looked at each other with surprise looks on their faces, "She would have fit in at Sturgis," Darien commented.  
  
"I've learned not to underestimate that woman, my friend, she's tougher than we think," Hobbes swung his leg around and sat on his bike. Claire had already taken off down the road; her blonde hair she tied back was flapping in the breeze. Hobbes smiled.  
  
Darien took off right behind her and Hobbes brought up the rear for the time being. He had been the protector for Darien so long that even now he was filling those shoes. Keeping a watchful eye on his partner and the woman he loved was a priority for him.   
  
Instead of riding straight into Phoenix they kept to the outskirts of the city. Why drive into trouble if you could avoid it. They stopped in front of a restaurant and went inside. It was empty as they suspected that no one who was that sick would go out to eat.   
  
"I don't think we should cook anything in here, it may have spoiled by now," Claire noted as she sat down.  
  
"I'll see what I can dig up in the back," Darien said.  
  
"I'll keep Claire company," Hobbes sat down next to her.  
  
"That's good, Hobbes, you do that." Darien smiled as he thought, 'It's about time Romeo.'  
  
Hobbes sat down next to Claire and they both sat quietly for a moment until Claire spoke up in an unsteady voice, "Bobby, will you hold me?"  
  
Hobbes scooted closer and put his arm around Claire and pulled her close to his body. She rested her head on his shoulder and felt his other hand touch her cheek. Claire put her hand on his shoulder. She hadn't realized how strong he felt until now and it gave her comfort. Her hand went to his face and felt the stubble growing on his chin.  
  
Hobbes sighed then relaxed under her touch. Claire sighed also and held Hobbes tighter. Hobbes hand that was on her cheek went to her chin and lifted her head up. Claire moved her hand from his face to the back of his neck and pushed downward slightly. Hobbes took the hint and touched his lips to hers.   
  
Darien fumbled around in the kitchen area looking for something for the three of them to eat. He opened the refrigerator and found some vegetables to make salad and some fruit. In cases, he found some can drinks and an idea hit him. He searched for some beer mugs, "Now, where would those be?" Darien turned around a couple of times and spotted them.  
  
Two large bowls filled with salad and fruit were placed on a tray along with three smaller bowls and utensils. On another tray, Darien put the mugs, a selection of drinks and some dessert choices. He looked at his fine culinary work and smiled, "Not too bad under the circumstances." Before leaving the kitchen, he decided to make sure he wasn't interrupting anything. Darien took a peek and sure enough, he would have interrupted, "You da man," he whispered to himself as he back away from the swinging door.  
  
Hobbes broke the passionate kiss and looked at Claire, "Uhmm, Claire…I understand if…you know…don't want a guy like me."  
  
"A guy like you? What is that supposed to mean?" Claire sat upright and held his hand.  
  
Hobbes turned his gaze away from her and looked down, "Well…I…"  
  
"Bobby, remember that time at the Embassy and you were telling me the story about the daughter and that you don't fish off the company pier?"  
  
Hobbes looked at her and shook his head quietly. Claire continued, "Well, you didn't see my expression on my face, I was upset, Bobby. Upset that it was possible we couldn't be together because we worked together." Claire put her hand on his stubbly face, "I love you, Bobby. I don't care about your past with Vivian or your mental condition."  
  
"What about Fawkes, how do you feel about him?"  
  
"Why are you asking that? I love Darien, but as a brother. I dated Kevin, not Darien. Don't sell yourself short by comparing yourself to him. You are two completely different men. He's my kept and regardless of what is going on, he still is. I won't cross that doctor/patient line. We don't work for the agency anymore, Bobby, so start fishing."  
  
Hobbes smiled and he wrapped his arms around Claire, "Hmmm…what should I use as bait to catch a British woman?"  
  
"You, Bobby, just you." Claire put her lips on his and the kiss deepened. Both were moaning into each others mouths and they pulled each other in closer.  
  
Darien checked his watch and leaned up against the counter whistling a tune. He gave them another five minutes and picked up the tray, "Ready or not, I'm coming out!" Darien pushed the door open and started singing.  
  
"I know I didn't say I was comin down,  
  
I know you didn't know I was here in town,  
  
But bay-yay-yaby you can tell me if anyone can,  
  
Baby, can you dig your man?  
  
He's a righteous man,  
  
Tell me baby, can you dig your man?"  
  
Claire started clapping, "Very good, Darien."  
  
"Don't quit your day job," Hobbes commented.  
  
"Well, if you hadn't noticed, Hobbesy, I don't have a day job anymore," Darien set the tray down and went back to the kitchen to get the other one with the drinks. When he came back, Claire and Hobbes were having a conversation. He set the second tray down and Hobbes stared at the empty glasses.  
  
"Fawkes, there's no ice?"  
  
Darien smiled, "Speaking of day jobs," He picked up two mugs and quicksilvered his hands, freezing the two mugs, "Why use ice when you have me,"  
  
"Darien, how often have you been doing this?" Claire looked at Darien suspiciously.  
  
"Hey, I only did this once, when I first got the gland. Kevin and the other scientists had a party and well, let's just say that I kept things on ice." Darien smiled as he poured himself a nice cold beer. The three held up their drinks and toasted to the agency and their friendship. "Now what were you two talking about?"  
  
"Claire and I were discussing which celebrity we thought survived the flu. Your little serenade inspired the conversation," Hobbes took a bite of salad, "Who sang that song anyway, Fawkes?"  
  
"Larry something or other, I can't remember his last name. Funny, huh? That song was climbing the charts like a bullet. I think it got to number three right before Captain Trips took over." Darien took a gulp of his beer, "Bet the dude bought it. First time hit, things are going good, buys new car, new house, thinks he's the king of the world and then, BAM, comes down with the sniffles. It's classic Murphy Law type of thing."  
  
"Okay, then who survived, hot shot partner of mine who thinks he knows it all." Hobbes drank from his beer.  
  
"UHmmm…you two are not going to drink too many of those are you?" Claire asked.  
  
"No, mom, just this one. Anyway, who survived, that's easy…Stephen King." Darien said confidently.  
  
"Why?" Claire asked.  
  
"Yeah, why of all people you would think King survived?" Hobbes folded his arms and waited for Darien's reply.  
  
"Elementary my dear, Hobbes. Because he lives for this sort of thing, only he could have come up with this type of scenario and it would have been a best seller." Darien tipped his beer bottle in victory.  
  
After lunch they said goodbye to Phoenix and rode for another two hours and twenty minutes to Flagstaff, Arizona. The Interstate was clear of large pile ups, which made it easier for them and not to mention faster. Claire did spot a helicopter down in one of the fields. The Federal Agents that they are, they decided to investigate. It was a news helicopter and there were three bodies on board. Hobbes checked the helicopter. "Hey, Fawkes, Claire, I think you should see this."  
  
Darien and Claire walked towards Hobbes and saw what he was pointing at; the side of the helicopter was riddled with bullets. Darien looked down at his feet, "News management at its best."  
  
"They were shot down?" Claire said in shock. This is what she and Darien had talked about at the CDC building. "Guess they were managing the news."  
  
"They must have found something and tried to get out or was intercepted in the air." Hobbes noted as he walked around the mangled remains.  
  
Darien had taken a peek inside and found the large video camera, "Whoa, guys check this out. The camera was forced open and someone took the tape out."  
  
"Someone really wanted to put a lid on this thing to go this far," Claire stood there gazing at the wreckage. "Can we go now?"  
  
Hobbes put his arm around her and the three walked back to their bikes in silence. They headed towards their next stop and didn't look back.  
  
They stopped about five miles east of Flagstaff to take a look at Walnut Canyon, the ancient home of the Sinagua Indians. They looked out over the cliffs where the Indians made their homes. The cliffs were adorned with trees and bushes. The caves in the cliffs were where the Indians had lived. It had once been a densely wooded area and Walnut Creek had carved out the rock forming the canyon.   
  
Stopping there to rest had proven to be what they needed to reconnect. The scenery and taking a moment to just listen to nature was hard for Darien. He turned away and his head drooped. "I nearly wasted the rest of my life away in prison, get a second chance and what do I do? Spend the last two years complaining about my life, being selfish, lazy and acting like a victim." Darien walked away and looked up at the clear blue summer sky, "Why me? Huh? Of all the people in the world that deserved to survive, why me?"  
  
"What…are you Job now?" Hobbes approached Darien, "Do you think any of us deserved to survive or die for that matter? We're left here for a reason, my friend and my guess is we'll find our answer from the old black woman."  
  
Claire put her arm around Darien, "We don't know why things happen but they do. What's important is what we do during these times. We're lucky to have each other."  
  
Darien walked back over to face the canyon, "What's out there waiting for us?"  
  
"An old black woman who may tan our hides if we don't get moving," Hobbes said with a grin.  
  
Darien and Claire laughed. They got back on their bikes and rode for another two hours before they reached Chambers, Arizona. The sun had started to set by the time they found a place to stay for the night. They decided on the only motel they could find, a Best Western. There really wasn't much else they could do. Spending the night out in the desert didn't seem too appealing to them. They found two adjoining rooms and used those. The bikes were brought into one room and they slept in the other.   
  
Since they were in a small town and their bikes were inside, no one would suspect that they were even there. So they all slept and no one stood watch, didn't matter anyway, they would sleep light because of the dreams.  
  
Darien was back in the CDC building this time without Claire. He ran down halls, made turns, tried to open doors but it seemed like he was running around in circles. Darien knew he was being followed, he could hear the sound of the boots on the tile floors. Dead bodies were lying around everywhere staring back at him. Their faces seemed to follow his every move. Like the illusion those pictures on the walls of the haunted houses give off as you walk by. It looks like the eyes on the portraits follow you. But instead of just the eyes, to Darien, it was the entire head would move.   
  
As Darien ran down one hallway a foot kicked out, tripping him. He hit the floor hard and busted his nose. Blood poured from his nose and he looked at the body he tripped over, it had a smile on its face. He scooted away from the body, moving his legs frantically trying to get traction. Darien leaned up against the wall and pushed himself up. He was panting hard and stopped when he heard the boots again. He made a turn down another hall and saw the EXIT sign flashing above a door. Darien ran towards it but he wasn't getting any closer, in fact the door seemed to be further away. He pushed himself harder, the blood from his nose turning his white shirt a crimson color.   
  
The boots got closer and now Darien could hear laughter. He pushed harder grunting out loud. He reached his hand out to grab the bar across the door. Just as he was about to reach it, a dark figure with the glowing red eyes leaped out of the shadows and jumped in front of Darien, "Gotcha!" The cold hands grabbed Darien by his shoulders.  
  
"NOOOO!!!!" Darien bolted upright on the bed, sweat pouring from his face.  
  
Claire and Hobbes were sharing the other bed and they sprang from the bed. Hobbes grabbed his flashlight and shined it on Darien. He was panting and staring wide eyed. Claire went over to him and covered her mouth with her hand, "Bobby, come here!"  
  
"What happened?" Hobbes spotted Darien's bleeding nose.  
  
"Darien, you're okay, sweetheart, its Claire and Bobby. It's over okay, your dream, its over." Claire put a reassuring hand Darien's shoulder.  
  
Darien sat there shaking his head from side to side, "No, it's not over," he looked at Hobbes who hadn't seen Darien so scared before, "He wants me."  
  
"Who, Darien, who wants you?" Claire asked checking Darien's nose.  
  
"Who else, Claire, the devil. The dark man is the devil." Darien's words sent cold shivers through Claire and Bobby. Was that who was out there waiting for them? 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"He who chooses the beginning of a road chooses the place it leads to. It is the means that determine the end." Harry Emerson Fosdick

It had taken some time to get Darien calmed down enough to go back to sleep. Claire and Bobby watched Darien sleep for a few moments to make sure he was alright. Darien mumbled a few incoherent words and then smiled. Hobbes wrapped his arm around Claire, "He's dreaming of the old black woman now, he'll be fine."

"Will he, Bobby, will any of us be fine?" Claire said watching Darien sleep.

"We have to believe that we will be, Claire, that'll be the only thing to keep us going." Hobbes nestled behind Claire and held her tight as they both drifted off to sleep and into their own dreams.

Hobbes moved through the cornfield following the sounds of the guitar and the singing. He can smell fried chicken cooking in the air and knew he was close. Hobbes walked out of the corn and the old black woman set the guitar down on her lap, "You have to get a move on, Bobby. Look!" She pointed to the cornfield.

Hobbes turned around and saw rats running around, "I don't understand, Ma'am. What does it mean?"

"Some are going to him," She said with a frown on her face. "But many will come by this side."

"Side? What side?" Hobbes looked at the growing number of rats in the cornfield.

"The Harvest is ready, Bobby. The time has come." Mother Abigail picked up her guitar and started playing again.

Hobbes shook his head, "Harvest? Time? Side?" He looked at the old black woman again, "I still don't understand what you're trying to tell me."

"I'll explain it when you come see me."

Hobbes woke up and the scent in his nose was not the cornfield but Claire's hair. He was spooned in behind her. He ran his hand through her hair and whispered in her ear, "I love you, Claire." And promptly went back to sleep.

Darien woke up and looked around the room, it all came back to him, he was in a motel room and he had had dreamed twice during the night. One dream he wanted to forget, but the other one had been of Mother Abigail. She knew who and what he really was. He questioned her about how she knew about the gland and her response was odd considering that he had been dreaming about her. She had told him, "Reckon I saw it in a dream."

The watch on Darien's right wrist, that still covered the tattoo, showed that it was 6:00am. He tapped his watch and held it up to his ear, "I never wake up this early." He ran his hand through his hair and decided that since he was up; he would go out and try to find something to eat for the three of them. He got dressed and left a note for Claire and Hobbes. He slipped through the other room, quicksilvered, and left the motel under the protection of his silvery blanket.

Hobbes woke up again to something tickling his face; it was a piece of paper. He took in his hand and recognized Darien's chicken scratch, Went to get some breakfast, behave yourself----Fawkes----P.S. don't worry, I'm undercover. Hobbes crinkled up the paper and threw it on the floor, "Damn, kid…better stay out of trouble."

Claire started to stir a bit and she wiggled up against Hobbes. A low moan escaped Hobbes mouth as he quickly realized his growing arousal, "This is terrific, I'm like a frickin', fifteen year old."

"Hmmm…what was that, Bobby, did you say something?" Claire stretched and arched her back causing her butt to push harder into Hobbes groin. She stopped and her eyes went wide when she felt Bobby's growing erection. "Oh Bobby, I'm sorry," she rolled over to face him, and she was blushing.

"Why…I'm not sorry, Claire." Hobbes brushed the hair from her face, "and you shouldn't be either." He kissed her gently, cupping her face with his hands.

"Bobby, I want to." Claire looked at him with her crystal blue eyes.

"Want to what?" Bobby said as he placed soft kisses around her mouth.

"Make love to you," Claire said. She lifted her leg and placed it on top Hobbes leg.

"Fawkes is out looking for food, that'll keep him busy for awhile." Hobbes covered Claire's mouth with his own mouth; his tongue demanded entrance and Claire gave him permission by opening her mouth. Their tongues tasted each other and the kiss deepened passionately. Their mouths and hands explored the parts of their bodies that were once covered up in clothing. Hobbes and Claire reached new heights as they made love and when it was over, they rested peacefully and satisfied in each others arms.

She ran her hand over his head and kissed him on his cheek, "Bobby, I love you."

"I love you too, Claire and I promise, before we leave…I'll stop by the drug store and get some supplies for the next time." Hobbes said.

"Its okay, Bobby, we didn't know this was going to happen so soon. What are you going to tell Darien when you stop by the drug store?"

"That I need some more meds…" Bobby pulled out of her and lay down next to her, "…and some condoms."

Claire hit Hobbes on the head with her pillow and the two rolled around on the bed some more. They stopped when they heard a knock on the door, "Okay, you two it's me. Please get dressed, Claire I don't mind seeing naked, but you Hobbes…I can do without."

Claire and Hobbes jumped out of bed and put their clothes back on. "How did he know, did Kevin ever mention about x-ray vision?" Hobbes struggled to get his boxers back on.

"Either that or he heard…well, we weren't exactly quiet you know," Claire pulled her shirt over her head. Hobbes opened the door, but there was no one there. He stood there looking around.

"Hobbes, you have to move man, I'm invisible," Darien's disembodied voice said slightly annoyed.

"Oh…I forgot about that," Hobbes said in an apologetic tone.

"I wish I could forget about that easily." Once inside, Darien shook off the silver coating and he stood there with bags in his hands.

"Someone's been busy," Claire noted sitting back down on the bed.

"Yeah, well, my guess is…I wasn't the only one," Darien smiled as he reached in one of his bags full of goodies. "Okay, hot shot, these are for you but of course I appear to be late," Darien tossed Hobbes a box of condoms.

Hobbes hit the box and it flew back up in the air. He ended up juggling the box before he could actually catch it and hide it behind his back.

"Nice hands there, partner." Darien grinned and poured the bags out on the bed. "I found some meds for you, Hobbes. I got the info off your prescription bottle. You can have Claire make sure I got the right ones. Oh and I also found us battery operated travel shavers with extra batteries of course. Want to look nice for Mother Abigail."

"Darien, where did you find all of this?" Claire went through it all.

"Well, I knew I had some time to kill, so I robbed a drug store. I found one just up the road," Darien put his hands up, "No one saw me, I was completely incognito. But I did see a pick-up truck go by."

"You did? Which way did they go?" Claire asked.

"West…they were headed west, towards Nevada. The back had about three people sitting there." Darien put his hands on his hips as he stared at Claire and Hobbes.

Hobbes stood there, "Some will go to him…Mother Abigail…she told me last night that some would go to him."

"Looks like people are choosing their sides," Claire said looking sad.

"She said that too, something about coming to this side. I don't know, this whole thing is strange." Hobbes looked up at Darien, "Your nose…"

"What…what about my nose?" Darien touched his nose and it didn't hurt anymore. He turned and looked at the mirror. His nose had healed. "Okay, now I think I'm going to lose it."

"This is incredible; first your nose looked like you broke it for no apparent reason except that you dreamed it. But now it's completely healed, like nothing ever happened," Claire said while she examined Darien's nose. "As a scientist, there is no reasonable explanation for this."

"Of course not, Keepie, cause we're not dealing with science here. I mean, look at us, we're dreaming about the same people and the same place. Tell me that there's a scientific explanation for this, you can't because there is none." Hobbes said.

"What are you saying, Hobbes? That there is another explanation for this?" Darien asked.

"I don't know what I'm saying, but you have to admit it, there's something going on here that's beyond all this, my friend," Hobbes arms waved in the air signifying that he was talking about the situation they all found themselves in.

Their breakfast consisted of granola bars, dried fruit and those little juice boxes for drinks. Darien had acquired these items in the drug store. He had found plenty of things to grab there, power bars in different flavors, granola bars, various packages of dried fruit and other items that they could easily take with them.

"Okay, so what are the travel plans for today?" Darien asked as he got on his bike.

"Well, today we say good bye to Arizona and hello New Mexico. If everything goes well, we should be in Colorado tonight. We're heading east to Laguna where we'll make our first stop this morning, should take us a little over two hours to get there." Hobbes got on his bike, "We may even reach Mother Abigail's place tomorrow afternoon."

Darien and Claire looked at each other, "Whoa, you mean we're that close?" Darien asked.

"Yeah, partner, we are that close," Hobbes started his bike and the threesome took off on day two of their journey.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." Ralph Waldo Emerson

A little over two hours later, Darien, Claire and Hobbes had stopped for a brief break. The mountain view they had on their trip was a beautiful back drop. Darien had picked up a couple of those disposable cameras and snapped off a few shots. He even took one of Claire and Hobbes standing together with their arms around each other. Hobbes smiled, "Fawkes, who's going to develop those?"

Darien looked at the camera and waved it in the air, "I don't know, maybe someone will be able to one day. I wanted to at least document our adventure along the way. You never know." Darien stuck the camera back in his jacket and they started their journey again. They continued east on I-40 until they reached I-25 to finally head north towards Santa Fe. They still hadn't met anybody along the way and that was fine as far as Hobbes was concerned.

Two hours later found them in Santa Fe for lunch which consisted of what they had for breakfast. They continued on I-25 north to Springer, New Mexico for another two hours on the bikes. Claire was impressed that Bobby only kept them riding for two hours at a time and worked in these little breaks for them. Darien joked that they would probably find trouble in Springer because of the name.

Claire had taken a picture of Darien and Hobbes going at it under the sign proclaiming the town's name. They stopped by Springer Lake and sat down for a few moments and checked the bikes before moving on to Pueblo, Colorado for the night.

A little over two hours later found them in Pueblo, Colorado. Instead of a motel this time, they opted for the great outdoors. The area they found was just too tempting to pass up. They set up camp near a spring and Darien decided to do some fishing. He had taken a fishing rod that you put together and he eagerly started fishing. It had taken Hobbes and Claire no time at all to set up the tent and Hobbes had a fire going. All they needed were the fish.

Hobbes leaned up against a tree and Claire sat between his legs. His arms were around her and she rested her head on his chest. The two dozed off in that position and Darien came up from behind them whistling while he carried his catch. He stopped and gazed at them, he held up the fish, "Well, I guess I'm not only the hunter but the chef as well."

Darien gutted and scaled the fish, and then he placed them on the frying pan. He was glad they picked up the grill to place over the fire and the pans. At least now they can eat something other than boxed or canned food. He also boiled some water for coffee and tea.

Claire and Hobbes woke up to the smell and sounds of frying fish, "Mmm…that smells good, Darien," Claire struggled to get up and Hobbes pushed her up.

"You two looked comfortable so I didn't want to wake you up, besides I don't think you guys dreamed at all." Darien turned the fish over.

"We don't have the intense dreams that you have, my friend." Hobbes bent down next to Darien, "Nice catch there, partner, but do you have to fry them with their heads on?"

"Hobbes, this is how you keep the flavor of the fish." Darien noted as he poked the fire to spread it out evenly under the grill.

"You watched Food Network a lot didn't you?" Hobbes smiled.

"Well, I don't care, it smells wonderful, very nice work Darien in catching us dinner." Claire said as she clapped.

Darien stood up, "Ugh…me, great hunter." He then banged on his chest and let out a Tarzan yell.

The birds flew out of the trees when Darien imitated Tarzan. Hobbes looked around, "Well, king of the jungle, you think maybe you could keep it down."

"So, what will be on the menu for breakfast?" Claire asked. She took out the plates and the utensils they nabbed at the camping outlet.

"Uhmmm…probably fish." Darien tested the fish to see if they were done.

After dinner they cleaned up and made sure the fire was out. They huddled in the tent, Claire sleeping in between the two men, but closer to Hobbes than Darien. The three of them drifted off into dreams.

Claire was no longer in a cornfield, in fact there was no field at all. It was a road. She walked up the road and saw house after house. Claire was in a residential area. She heard the guitar and looked up to see the old black woman sitting on a different porch. Mother Abigail rested her guitar on her lap and smiled at Claire, "We've moved on child, found myself in Boulder, Coloraido, I did," the old woman said mispronouncing Colorado.

Claire looked down and thought to herself, "Boulder…" She looked up, "We're not that far, we're in Pueblo now."

Mother Abigail clapped her hands together, "I reckon so, child…I reckon so." The look on Mother Abigail's face changed from joy to seriousness. She pointed to the figure standing not far from Claire, "Get hence ye back, creature of darkness."

Claire turned and saw the dark man standing in the shadows with glowing red eyes. When he smiled, Claire could almost see his teeth. She turned to Mother Abigail, "What does he want?"

"What he's always wanted from the beginning of time, child, to be God."

Claire turned around quickly and the figure was gone, she walked up to the porch and sat down with the old woman. She liked it better with Mother Abigail.

The sun rose up and the light hit Darien right in his face, he'd been facing east. He sat up shaking the early cobwebs from his head. Another night of dreams, this was usual for him. He'd had them ever since Kevin put the gland in, but lately they had taken a turn into the really creepy genre. He thought his dreams would rival 'Tales From the Crypt' or even 'The Twilight Zone'.

Hobbes and Claire woke up shortly after and the three of them stared at each other until Hobbes broke the silence, "Guess we just need to travel to Boulder now."

"How far away is that from here?" Claire asked unzipping her sleeping bag.

"I'll look, but it looks like the first group met up with her and they moved on already," Hobbes slipping out of his sleeping bag.

They took down the tent and packed it away along with the other equipment. They ate a quick breakfast and cleaned themselves up. There was excitement in the way they moved, they were finally going to get to the bottom of this mystery. Hobbes checked his map, "According to this, we're about two and a half hours away. We travel on I-25 North and then on US-36 West and we'll be in Boulder by noon."

"How will we know what house is hers?" Claire asked looking at the map.

"Something tells me, we'll know." Hobbes said. He believed that. The three hopped on their bikes and headed north.

Mother Abigail knew that even more were coming today, but she seemed to know some of the people when they came up to greet her. Those were the ones that she knew would be called, just as she was called. There was one she was real interested in and she would know him when she saw him. Still, they came, in large groups or in small groups, didn't matter, they still came. How many would there be altogether? She didn't know, but she left that up to God.

Darien stopped his bike and looked out over the cliff. Claire and Hobbes stopped next to him and saw the sight before their eyes. A long line of motorcycles, cars and pick-up trucks formed down the street for as far as they could see. It resembled an infantry on the move. "It looks like a parade," Darien noted in amazement.

"Good Lord, all those people survived?" Claire asked. She couldn't believe what she was looking at.

"What are we waiting for, lets get down there and join in on the fun." Hobbes turned his bike around and headed towards the group going to Mother Abigail's.

They quickly caught up to the group and were welcomed to join in. As they drove down the street, they looked around at all the cars and motorcycles that were in this parade of sorts. Hobbes thought to himself, 'If there are so many on this side, how many are on his side? And why would anyone want to join that freak?'

The parade came to a stop in front of a peaceful house. Darien, Hobbes and Claire got off their bikes and had to walk up the street a bit before reaching the house. Hobbes and Claire had to walk fast to keep with Darien's long strides, he certainly was anxious to see the old woman.

Darien stood at the entrance to her yard and saw her sitting up on the porch. He was frozen in his tracks, "She's real."

Mother Abigail saw him and motioned for him to come, he was the one. The crowd walking up to her stopped when she told them to move a side. Darien walked between the crowd with Hobbes and Claire next him. "Darien, so good to see you," Mother Abigail said holding out her arms.

Darien walked up the steps, "How do you know my name?" Darien said as he hugged her. He could feel the love coming off this woman and it nearly caused him to start crying.

"No matter, invisible man, no matter," Mother Abigail whispered in his ear.

Darien backed away from her stunned and saw the smile on her face. She knew about the gland. Everything he dreamt about her was real. He watched as she turned towards Claire and Hobbes.

"Come here, child, and bring your man." Mother Abigail said to Claire.

Claire looked at Hobbes and smiled. They took each others hand and went up the steps to meet Mother Abigail. She hugged Claire first then Hobbes. There were some people standing behind Mother Abigail and Darien had already started to introduce himself.

"Howdy, I'm Ralph Brentner, this here is, Nick Andros, he doesn't talk or hear, so you'll have to look at him when you talk." Ralph said in a southern drawl.

Darien shook his head and Ralph continued, "This is Nick's friend, Tom Cullen."

Tom stuck his hand out gleefully and Darien took it, "Howdy, mister…" The big man said as he shook the life out of Darien's hand.

Darien smiled and put his hand on top of Tom's, "Whoa there big guy, I only have two…I'm Darien Fawkes from San Diego." Darien still couldn't believe what was happening. The old woman was real, which meant that the other guy was real too.

"I know, its hard to believe isn't it…that all these people can have the same dream." Ralph commented. "We met up Mother Abigail yesterday and brought her here. Ever since then, people have been streaming in."

The introductions continued when Hobbes and Claire came up. Nick wrote out a note and handed it to Ralph, "Nick here wants to know, what you all did before the flu?" Ralph looked at the three, "It's okay if you don't want to answer, it's just a conversation starter."

Hobbes looked at Nick, "Its okay, Fawkes and I were Agents and Claire was a scientist. We worked for the government, but not with Captain Trips."

Tom's eyes lit up, "You were secret government agents, like James Bond!?!…M-O-O-N that's spells 'secret agent'…laws yes."

Darien and Hobbes smiled at Tom. Darien took out his badge and showed it to Tom, "Here Tom, here's my badge. Have a look."

Tom took it enthusiastically and showed it to Nick, "Nick, look, real secret agents, isn't that just the limit?"

Nick read the badge, 'Department of Fish and Game?' He stared at Darien. 'What kind of a government agency was that?' Nick thought to himself.

Darien saw the questionable look on Nick's face and smiled back. He was going to let Tom believe that he was some big time agent. Right away Darien knew that Tom was a child in a grown man's body. Tom had the innocence of a child and Darien was not going tell Tom that he was not FBI, after all, Darien did work for the FBI for a couple of days. So, he really wouldn't be lying. Darien wondered if Tom was alone those first few days and how he survived on his own.

Darien, Hobbes and Claire had lunch with Ralph and the others. They talked about their past and Claire was asked if she would meet with George Richardson, the only MD in town. Richardson had arrived earlier in the day and he was already at the hospital. Claire agreed to meet with him after lunch.

One of the first things that needed to be done was to clean out the hospital and get it up and running again. Everyone that was already in town or coming in would be asked to help with the clean up in different parts of the city. It was tough work, but they had to do it if they were going to get any sense of normalcy back in their lives.

After lunch Darien went out to talk with Mother Abigail. He was pleased to see that no one was coming up to meet with her. Darien pulled up a chair and sat down next to her, "Mother Abigail, how did you know about…you know." Darien pointed to the back of his head.

The old woman laughed, "God knows all, Darien." She looked at him intently, "We are all called to do His will and that means you."

"Mother…I'm not…" Darien paused, "I'm not worthy, I've done things…I mean, why me?"

"Don't matter, none of us are worthy, Darien. But the important thing is, when He calls, you answer. You were given a gift that no one else has and you've done good by it." Mother Abigail picked up her guitar and started singing.

_"I sing because I'm happy,  
I sing because I'm free,  
For His eye is on the sparrow,  
And I know He watches me._

_"Let not your heart be troubled," His tender word I hear,  
And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;  
Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;  
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;  
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me."_

Later on that afternoon, Hobbes had found a house to live in and Darien decided on the one next door. Claire came back from meeting with Dr. Richardson and she had agreed to help out until hopefully more hospital personnel would show up.

Hobbes showed her the house and she liked it a lot, she had also decided to move in with Hobbes. Luckily for them, there were no occupants in the house. Claire figured that the people either had moved out or left for the hospital and died there instead of at home. After getting themselves settled they had gone back to Mother Abigail's house.

Mother Abigail sat and sang for awhile. Darien and Tom were playing a game of hide and seek. Tom couldn't figure out why he had trouble finding Darien, "Boy, Darien, you're really good at this. I can never find you."

Darien wrapped an arm around Tom's broad shoulders, "Well, Tom, when I wanna be, I'm practically invisible."

"Will you teach me how to be a secret agent like you?" Tom asked with a child like excitement in his voice.

"Sure Tom, in fact," Darien pulled out his badge from his back pocket, "I don't think I need this anymore, besides its time for me to pass this on to a new agent." Darien clipped the badge holder on Tom's shirt; he stood back and saluted Tom, "You are now Secret Agent Tom Cullen of the Boulder Free Zone." Darien smiled at how happy Tom was and he caught Darien in a bear hug. "Hey Tom, I can't breathe…" he gasped.

Tom put Darien down, "Sorry, I forget sometimes that I'm strong. I always forget stuff." Tom kicked some dirt with his shoe.

Darien patted him on his shoulder, "You wanna know a secret?"

"Laws yes!! M-O-O-N that spells 'secret'." Tom bent his head so he could hear Darien's secret.

"One time, these bad guys had me, Hobbes and another agent pinned down, we ran out of bullets because I forgot to bring extra clips for the guns. So you see I forget things too."

"Whoa…how did you get away?" Tom asked.

"That I'll tell you another day, Tom," Darien turned his head towards the road. He heard the hum of cars and more motorcycles coming down the road. Mother Abigail put her guitar down and got herself ready to meet more people. Darien went inside and told the others that they had more company.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"Every man has his own destiny: the only imperative is to follow it, to accept it, no matter where it leads him." -Henry Miller, The Wisdom of the Heart

Hobbes came out and gawked at the large crowd that was coming down the street. He turned to Darien, "There's got to be at least 200 people in that group."

"At this rate this place is going to swell with people in no time." Darien remarked.

One by one, each person came up to meet the old woman. Three in particular were called out of the group, just like Darien, Hobbes and Claire had been. This time it was a man from East Texas named Stuart Redman, a young girl from Ogunquit, Maine named Frannie Goldsmith. The other was an older man by the name of Glen Bateman and his dog Kojak. There was another member of their party, a young man, Harold Lauder, which Darien didn't like from the very beginning. As it turned out, he had come from the same town as Frannie.

Later on that evening, Mother Abigail had cooked dinner for her guests using a grill. Stu and Darien shared their story of their experiences with the CDC and everyone was surprised at how similar the two stories were. Other stories were told of journeys made from different places and of course; the dreams.

"There's one thing we haven't considered here." Glen said. Before the flu, he was a college professor and now he was an amateur painter.

"What's that?" Stu asked taking a sip of coffee.

"Well, East Texas, as you can see there are a lot of people in town and I suspect more will be coming. I hate to bring this up, but we have to consider leadership." Glen said.

Darien looked around at all the candles lit, "And let's not forget about power. Cold showers and bar-b-ques are getting old."

There was laughter around the table. "Leave it to my esteemed partner here to remind us of the important things in life," Hobbes nodded towards Darien.

"Why, thank you Hobbes." Darien said with a sly grin.

"We are creatures of habit, Mr. Hobbes." Glen retorted. "I believe that Brad Kitchner has been working on the power."

"Okay, so…what do we do about leadership?" Stu asked leaning on the table.

"Whoa…wait, who says that has to fall on any of us?" Darien asked looking at the others around the table with a troubled expression on his face.

They all looked in the general direction of Mother Abigail. She sat down, "There are more coming who will be involved, so for right now, just enjoy the fellowship."

The following morning Darien had gone with Brad Kitchner to help with getting the power back on. Hobbes was meeting with Stu about being the Marshall for the Free Zone. Stu was asked to do the job but he thought that Hobbes was better qualified given his background. Hobbes agreed to the job and would ask Darien to help out. Claire took Frannie to the hospital so Dr. Richardson could have a look at her and see how the pregnancy was progressing. Mother Abigail had said she was pregnant when Fran arrived with Stu.

Darien looked at all the switches and dials at the power plant, "Uhmmm…maybe I'm guessing here, but shouldn't we at least turn stuff off. I'm thinking that people may have left stuff on like the AC or TV's, you know what I'm saying? You'll have one hell of a power surge."

Brad thought for a moment, "That is something to consider," Brad looked at the crew that was with him, "Or I can just turn on the power to the area where most of us are living and leave the rest without power."

"Yeah, like a roaming blackout." Darien added.

"That's right. Until then go out to all the clean up crews and have them turn things off in the homes where no one is living yet, tell them to throw the breakers if they have to." Brad informed them. Everyone nodded and left the power plant.

Darien went to Hobbes and told him what the plan was. Hobbes took his opportunity to ask Darien to help with policing the town.

Darien laughed, "You can't be serious, me, a police officer…with my past record? Oh Hobbes, you're killing me."

"I am serious Darien, look so far we're it pal. More an' more people are comin' in everyday, they need someone. I'm puttin' together a team now and I need your help"

Darien put his hands on his hips and stared down at Hobbes, "Okay, okay…but I'm not wearing the uniform."

"Chicks dig the uniform." Hobbes winked at Darien.

Darien smiled, "Yeah, they do don't they, but I'm not wearing the hat, messes up the do." He illustrated his point by fixing his hair.

"Okay, hot shot, don't worry about the uniform. I know how to get your message out to the clean up crews."

"Oh yeah, how?"

"Follow me, partner and I will show you."

They each commandeered a police cruiser and went to separate areas using the car's bullhorn to relay the message. Darien felt strange sitting in the front seat of the cruiser and not handcuffed in the back seat. "I never thought I'd be on this side of the cage," Darien commented as he sent out the message.

Soon after, another group came in and this one just as large as the one from the day before. Darien and Hobbes had returned to Mother Abigail's when they heard about the new group. There they met Lucy Swan and little boy who traveled with her by the name of Joe. An older man who simply went by the name of Judge Farris, and a woman who had a strange meeting with Mother Abigail, her name was Nadine Cross.

Darien spotted a man who looked familiar, he went up to the man, "Don't I know you…what High School did you go to?"

The man looked oddly at Darien, "Did you go to High School in New York?"

"No, I lived in Cold Springs, California…but I know you from some where." Darien stuck his hand out, "I'm Darien Fawkes."

"I'm Larry Underwood."

Darien shook his hand and a shock looked came across his face, "No way…you're the dude, oh man!" Darien's words stuttered out of his mouth.

Larry smiled, "I guess I'm missing something."

"I'll tell you later, but who is that woman that acted strangely with Mother Abigail?" Darien asked.

"She's just someone that came in with me, I met her in New York and then one day she just took off. Somehow we ended up in the same group. There's something odd with her." Larry watched as the other people went up the steps to Mother Abigail.

"There's another guy that came in yesterday who's odd. Guess there's one in every group," Darien said. "We're all heading over to the power plant for the great 'turning on power' ceremony. Come on, I'll show you the way."

The power was restored but just to a small portion of the town. There had been a small fire at the power plant, but that was put under control immediately. It could have been a lot worse and the importance of turning off breakers in uninhabited homes became apparent.

Later on in the evening a meeting was set up for the entire town. There were things that needed to be discussed and voted on. Tables were set up for people to volunteer for various committees. Hobbes and Darien sat at the table for law enforcement and security. Claire sat at the next table for hospital volunteers. After a few moments, Stu stood up and walked to the podium. There was feedback from the microphone.

"Guess we're all gonna have to get used to this again," Stu said in his East Texas accent. Everyone laughed and loud applause erupted from the large group. At Stu's request, the national anthem was sung and for some reason it had a lot of meaning behind it. They were the new America and it felt strange.

Stu announced the names that were proposed for the Ad Hoc Committee. There were seven names given by Mother Abigail and they were, Stu Redman, Fran Goldsmith, Glen Bateman, Larry Underwood, Nick Andros, Ralph Brentner and Susan Stern.

There was a unanimous voice vote to accept the committee in total and what surprised Darien was that Harold made the first motion. Brad Kitchner stood up and announced that they needed a 'Turning Off' crew so that all the power could be restored. Stu then announced the new Sheriff, Robert Hobbes and gave his credentials. Another vote was taken and Hobbes was accepted as the new Sheriff.

Hobbes walked up to the podium, "My first order of business to name a second in command and that will be Darien Fawkes."

Darien stood up and waved, "I can't believe I'm a cop," he said under his breath.

Claire smirked, "Life does have a way of biting you in the rear doesn't it?"

Other business was taken of and the meeting was about to be adjourned when Lucy came in crying holding Joe in her arms and note in one hand. Mother Abigail had left. Hobbes looked intently at Darien, "Looks like we have our first case."

The search for Mother Abigail was now on its third day and there was still no sign of her. Darien and Hobbes were frustrated, "How come we can't find an old woman who's 106 years old?" Hobbes said looking at a map of the search areas.

"Maybe it's because she doesn't want to be found, come on, Hobbes…you read the note. She's gone off on some religious soul searching desert cleansing." Darien said.

"Fawkes! She's 106! How is she going to survive out there?" Hobbes looked at Darien in surprise.

"Look, the committee is willing to trust her fate to her God, maybe we should too."

"Her God!! Fawkes, are you listening to yourself? I'm not about to let her wonder around in the desert looking for a Moses experience."

Darien stood up, "She left on her own, Hobbes. Her own free will, if she's meant to come back then so be it!" he snapped at Hobbes.

Hobbes looked at Darien with raised brows, "You okay there, partner? Are you still having those dreams?"

"What if I am!?!" Darien volleyed back angrily. His tone showed that he had not been getting any rest.

"Claire and I stopped having dreams when we first arrived. Maybe you should see Claire." Hobbes put his hand on Darien's shoulder.

Darien looked down at his feet, "I'm sorry, Hobbes. Yeah, I'm still having dreams." Darien sat down, "I can't shake him Hobbes. It's getting to the point where I don't even want to sleep. Why am I still dreaming about the walking dude and no one else is?"

"I don't know, partner. But maybe if you talk to Claire, she can give you something so at least you can sleep." Hobbes was worried about Darien. Even before all this happened he had dreams, but not to this extreme.

"Yeah, okay, I'll go over to the hospital and talk with her."

"Take the rest of the afternoon off, pal, and see if you can get some sleep. I'll take care of things here." Hobbes watched Darien get up and leave.

Claire had given Darien some pills to help him sleep and he knew they wouldn't work, but he was willing to try. He pulled up to his driveway and hopped off his bike. He looked in the direction of Tom's house and wondered where he had run off to. It had been a couple of days since he had seen Tom and that wasn't like him not to come over for a game of hide and seek.

But the really strange house belonged to Harold just a block away; he always had the shades pulled down, like he didn't want anybody to see him. Harold only did his job during the day and that was the last anybody would see of him the rest of the day.

Darien had planned on doing a little recon in the morning when Harold left for work. He walked in his house and his door slammed shut behind him. Darien tried the door but it would open. Blood started to drip down the door and Darien backed away from it. Frantically Darien looked around and on the walls written in blood was his name.

"Darien." The voice whispered in his ear.

Darien shivered, he felt the cold breath in his ear. The gland in his head tingled and quicksilver started to seep through his pours. Streams of the silvery substance started down Darien's face like as if someone was pouring water on his head.

"Darien." The cold voice said again.

Darien clutched his ears and fell to his knees, "Leave me alone!" Darien yelled just as he disappeared. He looked around the room and in the corner he saw him, standing with red glowing eyes. "I can't see color, why do I see color?" Darien watched as the dark man walked towards him.

"Get away from me!!!"

Darien sat upright in his bed, panting hard and sweating. He had been dreaming again. Darien ran down the stairs to look at his walls, nothing was there. He went back upstairs and splashed his face with cold water. He looked at the sorry sight in the mirror. "I've got to do something about this."

Darien checked the road map he took from the drug store. He packed light, just a sleeping bag and some essentials like water and non-perishable food. He was going to try and travel for half the time, rest for a while and then continue straight to Las Vegas. Darien wrote a note for Hobbes and Claire, leaving it at the front door and like Mother Abigail set out in darkness. He walked his bike down the street so he wouldn't wake anybody up. Hobbes would certainly be mad at him, but this was something he felt he had to do on his own. Darien took a long glance back at the house, "Bye Hobbes, thanks man for everything. Bye Claire, I know you tried and I appreciate it." He started the bike and headed for I-70 West.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"I have not ceased being fearful, but I have ceased to let fear control me. I have accepted fear as part of life specifically fear of change and fear of the unknown; and I have gone ahead despite the pounding in the heart that says, turn back, turn back, you'll die if you venture too far." -Erica Jong

Hobbes got up and got himself ready for another day. He hoped that his lanky partner was able to get some rest. Claire had been concerned when she saw Darien. She had seen him depressed before, but this was different. Dark circles under his eyes, slumped shoulders and his eyes were distant, like something had taken control of his mind. At first Claire had thought it was the stress of finding Mother Abigail and all the new people that were streaming in now. She was upset to find that Darien's nightmares had not ended and he didn't say anything about it sooner.

Claire came down the stairs putting her robe on and saw Bobby standing in the middle of the living lost in thought, "Bobby, what is it?"

"I don't know, Claire, I just have that feeling that something isn't right." Hobbes shrugged his shoulders, "Maybe it's nothing."

Hobbes and Claire had breakfast and were waiting for Darien to show up like he usually does every morning. Hobbes checked his watch, "I know that Fawkes is fashionably late but even this is too much for him." He got up and walked out his front door, a piece of paper fell to the ground at Hobbes feet. He picked it up and read it. "Fawkes! I can't believe it!"

Claire came running out of the kitchen, "What happened?" She saw the look on Hobbes' face and knew that Darien had done something stupid, "What did Darien do now?"

Hobbes handed her the note, "He went to Las Vegas." He started up the stairs.

"What!?! Why on earth would he do something like that?" Claire ran up the stairs after Bobby.

"He's gone to face Flagg," Hobbes got some gear together and Claire looked at him.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going after that bone head partner of mine and bring him back before he gets himself killed. Tell Stu what happened." He kissed Claire, "I'll be back, babe, I promise."

"In one piece?" Claire hugged Bobby.

"Yeah, in one piece, but I'm not sure about Fawkes though. I may have to bust him up a bit." Hobbes flung his bag over his shoulder and grabbed his map.

Darien knew that Hobbes would come after him and was probably already on the road. He had a three and a half hour head start on Hobbes and he was approaching the town of Glenwood Springs, Colorado. He siphoned some gas out of a car to fill up his tank. The sweat was coming down his face; he wiped his head with the sleeve of his shirt. The squawking of a crow perched atop a pole got his attention. Darien looked up, "I hear ya." He started up his bike and continued on his journey. He looked in his rear view mirror and slammed the bike to a complete stop.

"What the…?" Darien turned and saw nothing. A cold shiver went up his spine. "The heat is getting to me, I know I saw a man sitting on top of that pole," Darien pulled out his water bottle and took a nice long swallow before moving on.

Randall Flagg stood on the balcony of his hotel room overlooking Las Vegas. He was proud of himself at what he had accomplished in such a short period of time. The man clad in blue jeans and a blue jean jacket smiled upon his kingdom. One of his prized subjects had already arrived, a pyromaniac by the name of Trashcan Man. Now he was eagerly awaiting the next one. This next one wasn't coming out of his free will, but out of desperation. And that was what Flagg had been hoping for. A desperate man will do anything.

Lloyd Henreid came in and looked at his boss with a watchful eye. Lloyd knew his place when it came to Flagg. After all, he was the one that got Lloyd out of prison before he starved to death, so he owed Flagg a lot, mainly his life. The black stone Lloyd wore around his neck was constant reminder of that deal. So he waited until Flagg turned around to talk to him, best not to speak before you're acknowledged first.

"Lloyd, listen, I'm willing to forget about the mishap with the Judge. You see, someone else is on their way here and I don't want anything to happen to him…" Flagg turned around and that cocky grin met Lloyd with a bone chilling response. "You want a drink, I do." Flagg went over to his bar and poured two glasses.

"Is this another spy? You need another cross made?" Lloyd asked with hesitation. His boys had messed up earlier by not following Flagg's orders. The Judge was supposed to have been brought in unharmed. But instead, the Judge was shot in the face and died instantly. Flagg to say the least had become angry and that was something Lloyd didn't want to go through again.

Flagg handed the drink to Lloyd, "No, not a spy, but he is coming from Boulder. He's special Lloyd and I want him brought to the Clark County Jail, unharmed. I want you to set up two road blocks, just in case. He's tricky and that's why I want him. He has a friend that is right behind him and I want him also, unharmed." Flagg walked over to Lloyd and held the black stone in his hand and closed his fist around it, "Just remember Lloyd where you came from," Flagg opened his hand and a key appeared. He closed his fist around the key, "I can send you back and you can enjoy that rat meal you were saving up for Thanksgiving." Flagg let go and the black stone made a thump as it hit Lloyd on his chest.

"I'll take care of it. I'll put my best men on it." Lloyd took a long drink.

Flagg smiled at him, "His name is Darien Fawkes and he's traveling south on I-15. Set up a road block in Arrowhead and in Apex."

Lloyd put his drink down on the counter after finishing it off. He headed for the door when Flagg called back to him. Lloyd turned around and Flagg had transformed.

Yellow eyes with cat like pupils replaced the blue ones. Sharp pointed teeth were exposed and two large ram horns adorned each side of his head. The light brown mane of long hair was gone to reveal a skull covered in wrinkled skin. There were no eyebrows just the face of a demon.

"No mistakes this time, Lloyd. I want them alive!" Flagg said in a voice that was not human.

Lloyd froze in his satin suit, "Yes, sir." Lloyd looked down and he heard laughter. He turned his gaze upward and Flagg was back to human form. Flagg walked up to him and patted him on the back.

"I like you Lloyd, you are my good and faithful servant."

Claire went to Stu's house and told him what had happened. Stu paced around his living room, "I hope Darien doesn't screw things up."

Claire looked at Stu, "What do you mean by that?"

Fran held Stu's arm, "You should tell her."

"I don't think I'm going to like this," Claire folded her arms.

"We sent out spies to bring back information about Flagg and what the people in Las Vegas are doing." Stu said.

"You did what? You sent out people to spy? Did it ever occur to you to let Bobby and Darien handle this, they are trained for this you know." Claire said angrily.

"They were mentioned but we felt it best to keep them here, just in case something were to happen, we would at least have two men with experience to coordinate whatever needs…to be…coordinated." Stu stammered at the end when he saw how angry Claire became.

"Who did you send?" Claire paused, "It wouldn't matter anyway cause I have no way of contacting Bobby to let him know." Claire put her hands to her head, "Ughhh! You should have at least told us what you were planning. Bobby is not going to be happy about this at all. You do realize that those people may not be coming back."

"Yes, and they knew that too." Stu stepped towards Claire, "Look, I know what we did may not make sense, but having Bobby stay here with his military background we felt was in the best interest of the Free Zone. We also felt that Darien was more needed here with all the new folks coming and the search for Mother Abigail. The spies went on their own accord."

"Right now, Darien is gone and Bobby is out trying to find him. Looks like you are going to have to take over the Sheriff position until they get back." Claire said and walked out. She headed towards the hospital to start her day.

Stu and Fran just looked at each other. Neither one said a word.

After Fran and Stu had left their house, Nadine showed up with a shoebox. Since no one locked their doors, she was able to walk in and placed the shoebox in the closet. She quickly covered it up and left the house.

Darien had left Boulder at around 6:00 in the morning, by 2:30 in the afternoon he had traveled 323 miles. He stopped in Thompson, Utah for a break. He had already spent over seven hours on his bike with a few stops here and there, he was tired but determined to end this. On the trip from San Diego, they stopped every two hours or so, but Darien wanted to get to Las Vegas. He knew he couldn't over do it either. Hobbes would certainly be hot on his trail but he didn't know when and where Darien would take his breaks.

To be on the safe side, Darien hid his bike and sat down for lunch. He wasn't all that hungry but he forced himself to eat. Thoughts of the past week went through his mind as he ate, the meeting, the power being turned back on, the new faces, Hobbes and Claire. He grabbed his sleeping, put it under his head and fell asleep.

Hobbes had been thinking about the many ways he was going to slap Darien upside his head for doing this. With Mother Abigail gone and everything else moving so quickly in the Free Zone, Darien had picked one heck of a time to lose his senses and take off on his own.

After a bite to eat, Hobbes started up his bike and started moving again. He had hoped to catch up to Darien either on the road or at least before he reached Las Vegas. There was no telling where Darien was at this point. When he dreamed of Mother Abigail, he knew where she was, he hoped that maybe a dream would tell him where Darien was.

When 9:00 in the evening came around, it was time for the ad hoc committee to have their meeting. Committee reports were given and Stu spoke on behalf of Hobbes for the Law Committee. He gave the excuse that Hobbes and Darien were busy working on the search for Mother Abigail and that neither of them would be available for the meeting. Stu knew that eventually he would have to tell them the truth, but he hoped that Hobbes and Darien would return soon.

Harold and Nadine perched themselves on a hillside overlooking the area. Harold knew that they would be able to see the explosion from their advantage point. Nadine kept pressuring Harold to press the button but Harold wanted to wait for the right moment.

It was now going on 9:15, people were enjoying themselves at a near by park in the early evening. There was a slight change in the weather and people seemed to be enjoying themselves. A child saw a figure walking down the sidewalk; she recognized Mother Abigail and she was helped by Joe. People rushed to her as she fell to the ground, mumbling, "Get out...it's in the closet."

Fran's eyes perked up, Ralph stopped giving his report about the Fire Committee and leaped to his feet. Larry ran for the door and Nick ran for the closet.

Harold pressed the button and spoke softly into the walkie-talkie, "This is Harold Lauder speaking. I do this of my own free will." A second later and there was soft boom in the distance. He and Nadine then saw a ball of light. "Roger that, over and out," Harold packed up his stuff and looked at Nadine saying, "We're damned."

Nadine looked up at Harold, "I know."

Just North of Parowan, Utah, Darien stopped for the night. He was now on I-15 going south towards Las Vegas. He knew that by this time tomorrow, he would be there, whether he was alive or not he didn't know. All he knew for sure was that the nightmare would be over.

Hobbes had gained an hour on Darien and was at Richfield, Utah when he decided to stop for the night. He was now only two hours behind Darien. Hobbes wanted to keep going but traveling on the road at night would be hazardous, not all the roads were clear of cars and trucks. The last thing he needed to do was to have an accident. He went to sleep hoping that things in Boulder were okay and that Claire was safe.

Claire was ready to leave the hospital when she heard the explosion, "Good Lord," she exclaimed and ran back inside. It was going to be a busy night and her thoughts of Bobby and Darien would be taken over by her training to save lives.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"Funny how just when you think life can't possibly get any worse it suddenly does."  
-- Douglas Noel Adams (b. 1952), British author, "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"

When Claire first heard that it was the Redman's house that exploded, she nearly fainted. Darien and Bobby were supposed to be at that meeting and if Darien had not taken off, they would have been caught in the explosion. All things happen for a reason she quickly thought to herself.

The first ambulance arrived and she opened up the back door. Stu jumped out and helped with Frannie who was on a stretcher. "Let's get her inside quickly!" Claire said as she ran along side Frannie.

"Is she gonna be alright and the baby…is the baby gonna be alright?" Stu said as frantically as anyone would be in this situation.

"We're going to do our best, Stu." Claire said.

Stu looked at Claire, "That's not good enough, Claire."

Two volunteers came out and took the stretcher into the ER trauma room. Claire stopped Stu, "I'm sorry, but that's all I can give you right now. You have to stay here. I'll let you know as soon as I can." Claire said giving Stu a reassuring smile.

Stu paced back and forth until Larry, Glen, and Ralph joined him. "How is she?" Glen asked.

"Don't know yet. How are you guys?"

"Well, I'm fine except for a few minor cuts…I landed in the flower bed." Larry said slightly embarrassed. "And except for the punch to the jaw compliments of you, I'm fine."

Stu looked at Larry, "I'm sorry about that, Larry. I was scared."

"Its okay, Stu, I owe you one." Larry said with a smile.

Dr. Richardson worked on Frannie and Claire helped with Mother Abigail. There were twenty others that had been wounded and one of them may not make it through the night. Two members of the Committee, Nick and Sue had been killed along with five others.

Volunteers streamed in to help out and this was probably the busiest the hospital was since the flu broke out. People also came in to donate blood, to lend support to the victim's families and cook meals for the families, friends and rescue workers. Claire was amazed at how the town had come together to lend a helping hand. It always seemed to take a disaster to get people to come together.

By morning, Claire was exhausted but she wanted to check on Frannie before going to lie down. Mother Abigail had been put in the same room with Frannie. She walked in and saw Stu sitting by her side. Larry, Lucy, Ralph, Glen and a few others were present in the room holding a bedside vigil for the two women.

"Dr. Keeply, you look tired, why don't you go lie down." Glen said.

"I wanted to check on Frannie and Mother Abigail first," Claire said as she checked the latest entries in the charts.

"With all the excitement I didn't notice if Bobby or Darien came back, did they?" Ralph asked.

Claire looked at Stu and looked down. Frannie at that moment decided to wake up. She knew that Nick had died and was concerned about the baby. Dr. Richardson had said that the baby was fine. Frannie looked over at Mother Abigail and told Stu that she had had another dream.

Mother Abigail started to mumble and told those that are not on the Committee to leave, but Lucy and Claire could stay. They waited for the room to clear out and Mother Abigail spoke saying that the four remaining men had to go to and make their stand against Flagg, but that one would fall by the way side. She said that she didn't know which one would fall. Frannie didn't like it and she argued her case but the decision had been made, Stu, Larry, Ralph and Glen were to go to Las Vegas. They were to confront not a man but a creature that had existed since the beginning.

Claire waited to hear what Mother Abigail had to say about Bobby and Darien. Mother Abigail looked at Claire, "You're with child too."

Claire touched her belly, she didn't know for sure yet and she wasn't going to tell Bobby until later. The others looked at Claire and smiled.

"By noon, Bobby and Darien will be taken. That's all I'm in the way of knowing." Mother Abigail said weakly, "They will stand against Flagg in the way that has been predestined."

Claire covered her mouth with her hand, "No…oh please no." Larry came over and hugged her.

"They went out to confront Flagg without us knowing?" Glen said.

"I knew, I didn't want to say anything. It was Darien's choice. Bobby went after him to bring him back. I was hoping that they would have come back safely." Stu added.

"Well, nothing we can do about that now," Glen said. Stu knew when Glen was upset and this was one of those times.

Mother Abigail continued, "You four men are to leave this morning, carry nothing with you, leave with the clothes that are on your backs. Go and stand." Mother Abigail took her last breath.

Darien traveled south on I-15 and off in the distance he saw a group of cars, "Great, another pile up."

Paul Burlson called attention to the men who were at the road block, "Okay, this may be the one. Remember, Flagg wants him alive and unharmed." The men pulled out their rifles and got in position.

Darien saw the movement in front of the cars. He was close enough to see rifles in their hands and there were about six men. Darien put on the brakes and the bike skidded sideways a few feet. He sat there with the bike in idle, looked at the men and the surroundings. 'Open area on either side…easy enough', he thought to himself. Darien straightened himself up on the bike and heard a voice on a bullhorn.

"Get off the bike…walk away from it with your hands up in the air!"

Darien smiled, "Ha, haven't heard that one in a while," he tightened the black leather gloves he was wearing and gripped the bars, "Okay boys, lets see what you got."

Burlson motioned to his men, "He's gonna run!"

Darien poured on the gas and the bike took off with a loud screeching sound. Smoke started to bellow from the tires burning rubber on the road. The men raised their guns at Darien and Burlson yelled, "Shoot the tires!"

Darien leaned his body down to gain speed. He came closer to the men and he kicked the gland in motion. Quicksilver poured over him and the bike turning them to a metallic color then disappearing all together.

The men including Burlson lowered their guns in shock. "What the hell was that?" Burlson yelled out. They could hear the motorcycle but they couldn't see it. The men looked around frantically as the sound drew near. Then dirt on the left side of them kicked up as the sound traveled in that direction. All they could do was watch as the dirt settled and the sound of the motorcycle grew faint.

Darien peeked behind him and saw the men just standing there with the rifles hanging at their sides. He laughed and saw the sign for the town of Arrowhead, Nevada. He was now an hour away from Las Vegas.

A group of people stood on the out skirts of the Boulder city limits. The smoke from the house can still be seen. It started there and will end in Las Vegas. Stu and Frannie hugged "Promise me you'll come back," Frannie said though tears.

"I promise I will try," Stu said.

"Not good enough," Frannie pounded her fists on Stu's chest. He held her tight.

They all stared west for a moment. Knowing what was out there, what was waiting for them. The four men and Kojak got into one car and drove off, leaving Lucy, Joe, Frannie, Claire and Dr. Richardson watching them as they drove away.

Larry was in the back seat and he looked out the back window. He kept his eye on Lucy and Joe until they were out of sight.

Lloyd was angry that the first road block failed in capturing Darien Fawkes. But the anger he felt was nothing compared to how Flagg was going to react. He took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

Flagg opened the door and greeted Lloyd, "Hi Lloyd, so tell me, how did it go?"

Lloyd looked down at his feet, "The road block failed. I'm sorry, we'll get him at the next one."

"No worries, Lloyd. That's why I told you to put up two road blocks. I knew he might run the first one." He smiled, "Did those guys up in Arrowhead say that the suspect seemed to disappear into thin air…POOF!!" Flagg waved his hands like he had just performed a magic trick.

"Yeah, kind of strange, huh?" Lloyd said with a hint of laughter in his voice.

"Not strange, but true. That's why I want him Lloyd. He's magic." Flagg patted Lloyd on his back, "Don't worry, Lloyd, he won't get by the next one. I'll make sure of that." Lloyd left the suite and Flagg had to get himself ready to meet his bride. He knew that Nadine was on her way and there was the issue of the third spy.

The Judge was killed and Dayna had committed suicide but what angered him the most was Dayna knew who the third spy was. Why couldn't he see, he had a third eye for this short of thing but this spy eluded his vision. Why did he feel like things were falling apart? The old woman was dead, that should make him happy but what had she told the remaining members of the committee before she died? He saw her die, saw the group around her, but what had she said to them?

Flagg's only chance at regaining control of the situation was to get Fawkes on his side. He would have Lloyd, Trash and Fawkes…his three unholy servants.

Darien knew that they would try again and since traffic was minimal if not at all, he remained invisible. Only the sound of the bike was the dead give away and there was nothing he could do about that except walk to Las Vegas and he was now a good thirty minutes away.

Darien was approaching Apex, another small town off I-15 and he saw another road block. He didn't stop but kept his speed. He noted two cars and three pick-up trucks. One of the pick-ups had a rather large cage in the cargo area. Darien smirked, "Aw how nice, must be for me."

Barry Dorgan and the others could hear the motorcycle but they could not see it, "This must be what Burlson was talking about. I wouldn't have believed him." He turned to him men, "Okay, get ready!"

A man hopped in the driver seat of the two cars and the two trucks. The one with the cage was in the middle of the road. Darien eyed the movement and what they were up to. He veered off to his right again. Dirt and grass kicked up behind him giving away his path.

Dorgan was ready, "NOW!!"

The two cars and trucks formed a long line stretching out onto the shoulder of the road and into the grass. "Oh crap!" Darien said in disbelief as the pick-up truck pushed him further then he expected. He lost control of the bike and crashed. Darien rolled a few yards in the rocks and grass until he came to a stop. The quicksilver flaked off the bike first and then him. The next thing he knew, he was looking into the barrels of six rifles.

"My name is Barry Dorgan," he said, "Darien Fawkes, by the virtue of the power invested in me; I place you under arrest and order you to come with me."

"Yeah, I figured that much," Darien said achingly.

"What are you?" Dorgan asked.

"Aren't you supposed to be reading my rights?" Darien tried to move, but his body ached. He saw the look on Dorgan's face, "Guess not…I had a bio-synthetic implanted in my brain that makes me go invisible. I worked for the government."

"A lot of good the government did for us," someone spoke up from within the group.

"Yeah well, I never said I liked it."

"We caught the invisible man, we're gonna be famous," Another voice was heard from the group.

Darien was roughly hauled off the ground, "Oowww!! Hey, police brutality!" Darien was promptly hit in the stomach with the butt of a rifle. He collapsed on the ground gasping for air.

Dorgan pushed a black man nick-named Rat-Man who hit Darien in the stomach, "Don't be an ass! Flagg wants him brought in unharmed."

Darien coughed, "I think…you're a little…late…Dorky." Darien was pulled back up again to stand on his feet. There was a nice scrape on Darien's cheek from his roll in the grass and rocks.

"Dorgan," Barry said correctly pronouncing his name.

Darien looked at him and sneered, "Whatever."

The two men holding Darien pushed him up against the hood of the car and his arms were stretched out. "Okay, this I know," Darien joked as he was searched, "Whoa…easy there, that's not a gun, okay."

Dorgan with an irritated look on his face said to Darien, "You're a real smartass aren't you? I've dealt with your kind before as Chief of the Santa Monica Police Department."

Darien shook his head slightly, "No, don't think I've ever been arrested there."

"Cuff him and put him in the cage." Dorgan had enough of Darien.

"I want his jacket, shame to waste it on a dead white man…" Rat-Man looked at Dorgan.

Dorgan nodded. Rat-Man leaned up against Darien and breathed in his ear as he took off Darien's leather jacket, "Flagg gonna hang you up…won't be needing this no more." The jacket came off with the gloves, "Guess I'll treat myself to these too."

The cuffs were forcibly put on Darien and tightened. He winced at the way the cold metal cut into his skin. Darien was pushed over to the pick-up truck with the cage and the door was opened. 'I've gone from 'receptacle' to animal,' he thought to himself as he was manhandled into the cage.

Darien sat towards the back of the cage and kept his eye on the caravan of cars and trucks behind him. They had put his banged up motorcycle in the lead truck and he figured that he and the bike were going to be on public display through the city. "There going to make an example of me," he bowed his head and for the first time in years, he prayed.

On the approach to the city, Darien saw the crosses that lined the highway. "My God, he really is crucifying people." Darien understood Rat-Man's words now when he said that Flagg was going to hang Darien. His stomach turned and his throat went dry.

Darien could hear the crowd as they approached. He knew that Dorgan and Rat-Man were having the time of their lives in the lead truck, waving their guns in the air and showing off the dead motorcycle like it had been a buck they hunted. Some of the guys in the other cars got out to walk along the side of the street. Darien chuckled, "Crowd control a la Flagg."

The people started throwing stuff at the cage, bottles, food, garbage…what ever they could get their hands on. Darien let the quicksilver flow to break the cuffs so he could free his hands to cover his face.

The guards walking along the street were just for show, they didn't keep anybody back. Some people rushed the cage, banging on it and shouting obscenities. Darien couldn't make out what everyone was saying, they were all shouting at once. He looked up and looked into the face of a teenager.

"Die you dirty spy!" the kid shouted at Darien. Behind the kid was a group of people standing under a newly constructed cross and they were pointing to Darien then to the cross.

Darien's heart sank and unconsciously he mumbled, "Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do."

Standing on the corner watching the festivities was Tom. He had seen Dayna a few days ago but he hadn't seen her since. Tom was there because it was announced that a spy had been caught and everyone was ordered onto the streets. Normally, Tom liked parades but this was not fun, at least to him. Everyone else was in a party mood. Tom watched as the first pick-up truck went by with the damaged motorcycle. His stomach did flips, he recognized the bike.

Tom watched as some people rushed the cage that was in the following truck. Some where shouting and some were throwing stuff at it. He saw a man sitting with his hands to his face and when someone yelled for the spy to die, he saw the face of his friend, Darien. "Oh no," Tom quietly said to himself and he turned his face away, "Why him?" Tom got on his bike and rode away without anyone seeing him. He wanted to go somewhere and cry. The shouts of the crowd got louder until it sounded like thunder in Tom's ears. He rode hard trying to escape the thunder but it seemed to follow him.

Tom made it to his apartment and he started packing his things as tears streamed down his face, "I could never find him, it's not fair. Why did they have to find him?"

Darien didn't see Tom and it was just as well. He may have given Tom away. The ride through Las Vegas to Clark County Jail had been long and harsh. Darien was relieved when they finally went to the prisoner unloading area.

Dorgan opened up the cage door, "Now that was fun wasn't…." he noticed that the cuffs had been broken, "How did you do that?"

"Another trick I do." Darien was escorted into the main building.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"This is no time for ease and comfort. It is the time to dare and endure." Winston Churchill

As Darien was approaching the second road block Hobbes was on his way to the first road block Darien had gone through earlier. He rode south on I-15 and was only 30 minutes behind Darien. Nick had been in Hobbes dream earlier and the strange thing was Nick could talk. His voice was still clear as a bell in Hobbes' mind.

"Hobbes, Darien is in trouble and he needs your help. He can't fight Flagg on his own. Leave now." Nick sounded desperate.

Why had Hobbes dreamed of Nick anyway? Not to mention that Hobbes had woken up in the corn field at Mother Abigail's house in Nebraska. He spotted Mother Abigail and sitting next to her was Nick. This whole thing had been strange from the beginning and Hobbes decided to take the dreams as they come.

Hobbes stopped his bike. Something he saw in the distance didn't sit too well with him. "This is not good," he said to himself. He pulled out his gun and checked it; he tucked it safely in the holster that he pushed to the front of his pants. "Its show time," he put the bike in gear and started towards the road block.

Paul Burlson was not going to fail this time, "Okay, here comes the other one. Get ready!"

Hobbes was quickly coming up to the road block. He reached down to pull out his gun; he kept his eyes on the men that were moving into position. He raised his gun to fire.

"Don't Bobby, lay down your sword and surrender."

The voice rang out in Hobbes' head like bells in a church tower. It was Mother Abigail's voice that resounded in his head so loudly. Hobbes normally would fight, but that voice had him obeying the command. He stopped the bike, put his gun on the ground and raised his hands in the air.

****

Darien spent the next thirty minutes being examined in the infirmary. The wound on his face cleaned and his wrists bandaged from the tight fitting cuffs. Can't go before Flagg looking like something the cat dragged in. He was even allowed to wash up real quick and given new clothes, a white t-shirt and blue jeans. His boots he had taken from the Harley shop were still in good condition.

Darien was pushed inside the cell and the door slid shut behind him. Barry Dorgan the Chief of Security checked off Darien's name on his clipboard, "Randall Flagg will be here to speak with you, Agent Fawkes."

"In case you haven't notice, school's out on the agent business you know, so I think you can drop the agent part and just call me Fawkes or Darien or hey you." Darien said with a grin.

"For someone who is about to die, you sure are a smart ass." Dorgan said.

"Yeah, you told me that already. Look, can we just get this over with."

"Are you really that anxious to die?"

Darien wrapped his hands around the bars and leaned in as close as he could, "I've got news for you Mr. Security Chief, we're all about to die. Yeah, that's right…you, me…whoever is in this town." Darien watched as Dorgan walked away, he looked down and shook his head from side to side, "What an…"

"Uh-uh-uh, we don't use that kind of language here, Darien."

Darien looked up quickly and saw Randall Flagg standing in front of him, "I didn't…"

"Hear me…it's a little trick I do. Let me introduce myself…"

"The Devil, Lucifer, Beelzebub, Destroyer, Hitler, Stalin…oh okay, I got it…you'll love this one," Darien put his hands on his hips and in a female voice said, "Satan!"

Flagg chuckled, "Well isn't that special, too bad Dana Carvey is dead, he would have loved that. I know I did. But seriously, Darien, I don't want to kill you."

"Really now, what do you want, Randy?"

"I want you to join us. You're friends over in Boulder won't last long, the other spies are dead and so is the black witch. I can offer you freedom and control, just what you always wanted."

"Freedom? You…offer freedom? Now that's funny. You wouldn't know what freedom is if it came up to you and knocked your horns off your head. I am free." Darien walked away and turned his back on Flagg. 'What other spies was he talking about and did he say that Mother Abigail was dead?' He thought to himself. As far as Darien knew it was just him.

"You still have that gland in your head; don't you want to be free of that?" Randall held out a black stone in the palm of his hand.

Darien turned to face him, "Somehow, that doesn't seem to be a priority these days."

"I can make it a priority for you," Randall closed his hand and it opened it again to reveal a syringe filled with a blue liquid. "Remember this?"

Darien's eyes widened, "How could I forget the leash that was on me for two years. But in case you haven't heard, I don't need that anymore."

"Oh, I think you better have a look at your tattoo," Flagg smiled.

Darien held up his wrist and looked intently as one segment turned red, then another and another until seven segments were red. Darien felt a slight pain in the back of his neck. "No, it can't be…Claire gave me the gene therapy." Darien looked at Flagg with fear on his face, "I won't be controlled again." Darien said as he rubbed the back of his neck.

Flagg closed his hand again and the stone reappeared when he opened his hand, "I do control you, Darien, always have. You see I was that voice in the back of your head that called to you. You can hear me again too if you're quiet enough. That beautiful doctor of yours gave you the cure, but I always knew that one day I'd find a way to get back in there."

Randall moved closer to the cell bars, "I'm your madness; I'm the voice that guided you during stage 4 and even stage 5. If it wasn't for Hobbes and Claire, you would have tortured Father Tom. That would have been the clincher for you and you would be in my grasp instead of on the other side of these bars." Flagg held out the stone to Darien that was now on a chain, "Take it Darien, your pain will be gone and I'll let you go."

"My soul is not for sale," Darien said painfully.

"Okay, have it your way. I just need to wait until you're in stage 4, which is in about 2 days. Ah, you know, that's too much time." Randall formed a gun with his hand and pretended to fire off two shots.

Darien convulsed on the floor and cried out in pain. As the pain subsided, he checked his wrist, nine segments were red. Darien stood up, rubbing his neck and he glared at Flagg with red streaked eyes, "Damn you."

Randall smiled gleefully, "Thank you. Can you hear me inside your head yet? I think I'll send you back to Boulder, which by then you would be in stage 5 and completely under my influence. Isn't that your fear, that you would harm the ones you love?" Randall signaled for Lloyd, "Oh and I have a present for you to help you make your decision easier, not to mention quicker."

Lloyd came back into Darien's view with Hobbes. He opened up the cell door, took the cuffs off Hobbes and pushed him inside with Darien. Hobbes saw the red streaks, "Fawkes, what's wrong, you've got the red eye thing going again?"

Darien grabbed the bars, "Hobbes!?! NO! Get him out of here!"

"Agree to my deal, Darien." Flagg held out the black stone.

Darien looked at it and his hand slowly went towards the black stone.

Hobbes grabbed Darien's arm, "Don't Fawkes, don't do it!"

"Its counteragent," Darien said sounding like he was hypnotized.

"No, it's not counteragent, Fawkes," Hobbes eyed Flagg with anger, "He's lying."

Darien looked fearfully at Hobbes, "Take me down, Hobbes. Do it before it's too late." Darien turned and noticed that Flagg and Lloyd were gone, "Where'd they go?"

'I'm still here, Darien, back inside your mind."

Darien clutched his head in both hands, "Nooo!! I won't listen to you!"

'Sooner or later, you'll have no choice. Kill Hobbes.' Randall's voice commanded.

Darien looked at Hobbes, "NO!" Darien quickly went to the corner and slowly slid down, hitting the wall with his head as he went. "I won't kill for you. I'll bash my head in first…you hear me!!!"

Hobbes watched his friend fight a mental battle with Flagg. He had to get Fawkes and himself out of there fast. Taking Fawkes down is not an option, knocking him out Hobbes could do, but not to kill him.

Darien sat in the corner with his hands clutching the back of his neck and rocked back and forth, "I won't kill…I won't kill…I won't kill…" he repeated to himself hoping that if he said it enough, it would sink in and still be there when the madness took over.

Hobbes knelt next to him, "Fawkes, I need your help. You can unlock the door and we can get out of here."

Darien stared at Hobbes, his brown eyes full of despair, "Then what, Hobbes, so I can kill you, then go to Boulder and do Flagg's work. No, I won't kill…not anymore." Darien turned his back on Hobbes, "Kill me, Hobbes; you won't even have to look in my eyes. Do it before it's too late."

Hobbes jerked Darien's body, "You frickin' idiot, I'm not going to kill you! That was never a choice with me before and it's not one now. Get your selfish lazy ass up and unlock that door!"

Darien stood up, "Damn it, Hobbes! Don't you get it, there's no counteragent! What are you going to say when you bring me back and everyone sees the monster I've become? What are you going to do, have Stu lock me up for the rest of my life? I might as well be dead and you know that's what I prefer than living the rest of my life like some frickin' caged up animal." Darien pranced around the cell, "I'd make one hell of an addition to the Free Zone Zoo…'And here we have the QSM silver eyed Fawkes. Stay away from the bars kiddies, he bites and remember don't feed the animals.'"

Hobbes punched Darien in the face and he fell to the ground clutching his jaw. Darien gazed up at Hobbes with bewilderment in his eyes, "What in the hell did you do that for?"

"As usual, you were acting like an ass and I had to knock some sense into you." Hobbes put out his hand, "Now, get up and let's try this again."

Darien took Hobbes' hand and stood up moving his jaw from side to side, "Man, did you have to hit me that har…" Darien grabbed the back of his neck and his back arched before falling to the floor, "Ughhhhh…stop it, please!!" His head racked with intense pain.

Hobbes was next to Darien on the floor, rubbing his back. Darien's body stiffened with the pain radiating from his head, "Goodddd…help me," Darien pleaded as the pain subsided. He panted hard.

"Open your eyes, Fawkes, let me have a look." Hobbes gently rolled Darien over.

Darien opened his eyes. Hobbes was glad to see that they were still only streaked with red. He checked Darien's tattoo, still only nine red. "Okay, we don't have much time here, Fawkes. After you unlock the door, I'll find something to tie you up with. I'm not going to leave you here."

"Hobbes, I'll get you out, but I can't go with you." Darien sat up.

"I'll hit you again, now let's move." Hobbes voice was demanding.

Darien reluctantly got up and walked towards the cell door, he gave Hobbes a look that showed this was not a good idea. But he trusted Hobbes. If Hobbes believed that he could help him, then that was a chance Darien would take. He put his finger in the key hole and allowed the quicksilver to flow. The lock froze and with the two of them together, they pulled on the bars and the door slide open.

Hobbes knew what Darien would do, so he acted like he was going to walk out first, but quickly turned and punched Darien again. He looked down at his unconscious partner, "Sorry Fawkes, but I couldn't let you push me out and lock yourself back in here. I don't bail on my partner." Hobbes went back in the cell to try and find something to tie up Darien. There were no sheets on the beds which meant they weren't staying for long. Hobbes looked at Fawkes and a smile came across his face, "Your belt." He took off Darien's belt and tied his hands behind his back, "At least this way if you try to run your pants might fall off your skinny ass."

Stu felt pain through out his body and he had to stop the car. "What is it, Stu?" Glen asked.

"I think its Harold, he's hurt. I don't know how I know, I just do." Stu said confusingly and drove on.

Stu was right, Harold was hurt. He went off the road as he and Nadine rounded a corner. The dark man had appeared in front him and took him off guard. Nadine had watched as Harold sailed through the air and out of sight. All she heard was the impact of his body meeting the ground.

Nadine looked over the side and saw Harold lying in a bloody heap on the rocks below. "Nadine!" Harold called out to her, "Help me!"

Nadine looked at him pathetically, "Sorry, Harold…you said it, "We're damned." She walked out of sight and got back on her scooter. As she pulled away she heard him call out to her again. It was hard to ignore, but she had no choice. It was her turn to meet up with her destiny.

Flagg met with Lloyd and he was feeling pretty good at the moment. He had his bride on her way and Darien was within his grasp. His concern over the third spy was still there and he still had no idea who this person was.

"Lloyd, I need you to take care of things for me. I'll be gone for the night, have a wedding to attend." Flagg lightly punched Lloyd on his arm.

"What do you want me to do with the two agents at the jail?"

"Nothing, let nature or should I say madness take its course. Still can't figure out why Hobbes gave up so easily?" Flagg shrugged his shoulders, "I was really hoping for a fight, but I'll still get one anyway." Flagg laughed but noticed that Lloyd wasn't. "Aw come on, Lloyd, you of all people should enjoy a little shedding of blood."

Hobbes was carrying Darien over his shoulder and slowly made his way through the maze of hallways. He put Darien on the ground and checked his tattoo, one segment was still green. Hobbes walked down the hall a bit and saw someone standing guard right at the exit. He looked back at Darien, he had to move now and get Darien out of there.

Hobbes walked up to the guard, "Hey, don't you know it's not good to leave these doors open like this. Anybody can just walk up and do this," Hobbes side kicked the guard then knocked him out with a punch to the face. "Easy, just too easy and that's what worries me," he bent down and grabbed the gun and a pocket knife from the hapless guard.

Darien again was being carried on Hobbes' shoulder. He walked out the door and saw a prisoner transport van. Perfect, he could lock up Darien in the back and keep him from hurting anybody. Hobbes looked inside and the keys were there. He drove away with no problems; the front gates were even open. He kept looking in the mirror to see if anyone followed, no one did.

"Bobby Hobbes knows a set up when he sees one…we were meant to escape, but the question is why?" Hobbes wondered out loud. As he drove away from the Clark County Jail he never noticed the crow sitting on top of the barbed wire fence.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of free men we must live through all time, or die by suicide."-- William Adams

Harold didn't know how long he laid there after making a few attempts to crawl out of the ravine. It didn't matter now, he knew he was getting weaker and his chances of survival were slim. But he kept on trying; the great human instinct to survive drove him. The upward climb looked long and hard, with a broken leg and other bruises it was nearly impossible.

Nadine had left him there. She told him that he was never in the picture that it was never about him. In the deepest recesses of his heart he realized he had been used. A pawn in a mad man's game of chess. The nature of the devil, he used Harold for a job and when it was completed, Harold was thrown out like yesterday's trash.

All Harold could think about was Frannie, what he done to her and to…Stuart Redman, it was his entire fault anyway. If Stu had not moved in on his Frannie, she would still be alive. And what of Nadine, she used him as well, playing her whore games with him. Never allowing their sex to go to what she called, "the little thing". She had given him pleasure but not what he wanted.

Harold did shoot at her and missed. How did he miss her anyway, she was standing still as a deer caught in headlights. The bullet must have whizzed by her cheek, he had been that close to killing to the darkman's bride. Now he contemplated his own death. He took out his notebook and scribbled a message on a piece of paper. Harold wrote a long note trying to explain his actions, not so much give an excuse, there was only one he could give and he wrote it down. 'I was mislead'. He usually signed his published works as Harold Emery Lauder,but this time he signed with using the name given to him in Boulder, 'Hawk'.

With the note written and tucked into his jacket, he took out his colt and put it in his mouth. He looked up at the blue sky and counted in his mind…one…two…three…he pulled the trigger.

Stu slammed the car to a stop. Larry and Ralph in the back seat nearly sat in the front with Stu and Glen. "Whoa…Stu!" Larry cried out as his outstretched arms kept him from sitting in Stu's lap.

Stu turned his head and spit out the window, "It's Harold, he killed himself." He spit again, "I can taste the oil from the gun." Stu put the car in drive, "May God have mercy on his pitiful excuse for a soul."

Larry and Ralph looked at each other and put on their seat belts.

Darien stirred in the back of the van. Hobbes had the window open so hear when Darien woke up. "Whoa…what hit me…oh yeah…you," Darien tried to move his hands, but he knew that Hobbes had tied him up. Darien let out a sigh.

"You okay back there, partner?"

"No, you should have left me." Darien said.

"Nope, that's a negative."

"Crap! Hobbes, you're not taking me to Boulder are you?" Darien's voice sounded irritated.

"That's affirmative. Taking you to the Keep, she'll come up with something."

"Damn, Hobbes! That's what Flagg wants! You know as well as I do…there is NO counteragent. How is she gonna come up with it anyway?" Darien was angry and being in stage 2 was not helping.

"She has all the information on QS9300 Project on disc. She can whip some up for you and we can figure this whole thing out."

"Hobbes, Hobbes, come on, think man! This is not like before; the gland is not releasing the toxins in my blood stream. It's Flagg! Even if Claire did come up with counteragent it won't work. I could be in stage 5 by the time we get there and then I would only have 12 hours before I'm in permanent stage 5. And then what?" Darien tried to break the belt that held his hands together.

"I have to do something, Fawkes."

"That's easy, take me back to Flagg." Darien peered through the metal mesh that separated him and Hobbes.

"That my friend, is not an option," Hobbes looked at Darien in the rear view mirror. He saw Darien's expression on his face to his comment.

"Bobby, please, if you won't take me back to Flagg, then don't take me to Boulder either. I don't want to hurt anybody." Darien softly spoke. It was rare that Darien called him Bobby. He lay himself down on the floor of the van and curled up in a ball. Another sharp pain sent his body into convulsions. It was getting close; he could hear the voice in his head again.

"I want you to break free, Darien. Break free and kill him." The cold voice commanded.

Darien moaned, "Please kill me."

Hobbes heard the painful plea and his heart thumped hard in his chest. Darien was right, counteragent would not work and he knew it. But in his mind, it was worth a try, anything was worth a try to save his friend. Going back to Flagg and confronting him was not in the game plan. That was for someone else to do.

Stu stopped the car, "I think we have a problem." He said as got out of the car. Ralph, Larry, Glen and Kojak followed Stu to where the bridge had washed out.

"Great, now what?" Larry asked.

"Should we look for another way?" Ralph asked looking around at what appeared to be the results of a flash flood.

"No, we'll lose time. We're gonna have to walk it from here." Stu said.

Glen looked at his dog, "What do you think, Kojak, can we do it?"

Kojak barked and ran down the slope with ease. The four men cheered and whistled at the dog below wagging his tail happily. "Well if a dumb dog can do it so can we," Glen took the first turn and made it down the slope safely.

"Woohooo!! Professor…shoot that curl!" Larry yelled. He walked over to the edge where Kojak and Glen had made there descent and Stu motioned for him to go next. With his guitar still strapped to his back, Larry let out a shout and made his way down the slope.

Ralph was next followed quickly by Stu. Kojak barked and ran around the four men. They walked across the dried out river bed and gazed towards the climb they would have to make.

"Okay, who goes first now?" Larry asked.

"I'll go, piece of cake," Stu said as he started his climb. A few times it looked as if he might fall but he made it up to the top. The ground under his feet gave way and he fell down the slope. There was an awful snap as he rolled to a stop at the bottom.

Larry touched his leg, "Stu, you okay," there was another loud snap and Stu screamed out in pain clutching his broken leg.

They propped Stu up against a car and splintered his leg the best way they could. Glen had given him his arthritis pills and had found some coke for Stu to drink. Larry had wanted to make something to carry Stu on but he refused.

"No, Larry, remember what Mother Abigail said, 'One would fall by the wayside', this is God's will."

Larry argued his case but again he didn't win, just like he argued about sending over spies and lost that one too. Glen called for Kojak but the dog didn't move he was going to stay with Stu.

Larry, Ralph and Glen made it safely up the slope. They looked down on their fallen friend, waved goodbye and set off on the last part of their journey, not knowing if they would meet up with Stu again.

Night time fell. Hobbes had found a place to stay and he secured Darien as best he could. The words out of Darien's mouth were pleas for Hobbes to kill him. Hobbes just ignored him; soon the tone would change anyway. He would probably have to gag Darien at that point. It killed Hobbes to see Darien in this condition, the pain and the anguish. But soon that would all melt away and Darien would be in stage 3.

Stu sat up against the car; he had taken some of Glen's pills. They helped somewhat and it was better than nothing. The hardest thing was trying to keep warm in the cool desert night air. Kojak lay next to him, looking up at Stu every now and then to make sure he was alright. Stu rubbed Kojak's fur, "Dogs always seem to know when someone is sick or hurt, don't you boy?" Kojak settled on Stu's lap and kept guard over the injured man.

Nadine had to ditch her bike and walked during the heat of the day. She welcomed the night. As she walked she heard a voice calling her name.

"Nadine, over here."

Nadine followed the sound of the voice and saw a campfire. She walked towards it. Out of the fire came a man, it was him. It was Randall Flagg, the one she was meant for. They walked towards each other and embraced. Flagg told her that he waited for her and picked her up and took her to the blanket. He put her down and took his shirt off. Nadine ran her hands over his hard chest and he started to take her clothes off.

It was then that Nadine realized what was going to happen and she grabbed at her pants, "No…no…no!"

"It's too late to say no, my dear." Flagg's face changed into the monster that he really is and forced himself upon her.

Nadine' screams intermingled with Flagg's shouts of pleasure as he filled her with his cold dead seed again and again.

Darien writhed again in pain against the bonds that held him. Hobbes was there at his side to help him through the pain, "You can fight this, Darien. Like you said this isn't the same madness, just fight Flagg."

Darien eased up and his body relaxed, "I have every intention of fighting, just not Flagg."

"Open your eyes, Fawkes." Hobbes grabbed Darien's chin and pulled his head up.

Darien opened his eyes to reveal red blood shot eyes, "I wouldn't fall asleep if I were you, Hobbesy."

"Oh crap."

Flagg arrived with Nadine early in the morning. There was a group waiting for him in the lobby including Lloyd. There was some news he needed to tell Flagg and none of it was good.

A girl named Julie Lawry had been saying that she spotted who she believed was a spy not too long ago. She became upset when Lloyd didn't give her the chance to tell Flagg herself.

Flagg, Nadine and Lloyd walked into his suite. Flagg helped Nadine to sit down and told Lloyd that she was expecting little Randy Junior. "You want a drink Lloyd?" Flagg asked.

"Yeah sure, okay."

"I know when something's bugging you Lloyd. What happened?"

"There was an explosion at the airfield. Trash set off one of the bombs. All the pilots were killed."

"Where's Trash now?" Flagg asked angrily.

"We don't know, I have men looking for him now. What do you want to tell them when they find him?" Lloyd asked keeping his distance from Flagg.

"Make it quick, I rather liked that boy. Had high hopes for him. Well, I still have my bride and of course the secret agent man." Flagg poured another drink and then looked at Nadine, "Sorry hon, but the surgeon general said that alcohol is harmful to babies…of course until he died from the flu, isn't that right, Lloyd?" Flagg chuckled.

"Uhmm yeah, I guess so. About Fawkes…he and his friend, Robert Hobbes escaped yesterday. I have the look out teams keeping an eye out for them."

Flagg laughed, "It's okay, Lloyd, I know they escaped. That's what I wanted. The pilots were supposed to finish what Fawkes left behind." Flagg paused and looked as if he was counting, "Hmmm…Fawkes should be in stage 3 by now and maybe even stage 4. What a surprise those people in Boulder have in store for them. You thought you were a killer; you haven't seen Fawkes in action. Tell me, Lloyd, what did that bat faced girl down stairs go crazy about?"

"Oh that's Julie, she said she thought that she saw the third spy the other day," Lloyd noticed that Flagg's hands had changed shape and the liquid in the glasses started to boil.

Flagg became so enraged that he threw the glasses up against the wall, alcohol splattering the paint and wallpaper. He yelled at Lloyd and threatened to break his neck. The TV went flying across the room and Flagg threw patio furniture over the ledge. By the time he walked back in he was back to looking human again and calmer. "How's that drink, Lloyd?" Flagg asked like nothing happened.

"Oh it's great; it's all over the wall." Lloyd said holding his throat.

Flagg laughed and said that he liked Lloyd because he had guts, the same thing that he admired about Darien. Both of them had no qualms about expressing what was on their minds. Lloyd left the suite to check on the search for Trash and to set up another road block.

Flagg was upset about Trash, his crazy pyromaniac who set fires in any way he could. Trash had been in and out of mental hospitals since he started his first fire. Flagg knew he'd fine someone else to replace him. The next set of business was the four remaining men of the old black witch's committee. He knew they were coming and he had also asked Lloyd to set up road blocks for them as well.

"Your plan is falling apart," Nadine said standing outside on the balcony.

"What?"

"They're saying that the Judge got by your men. They want to know what happened to Dayna. A simple retarded man out witted you. Some are leaving and you don't even see them." Nadine stood up, "They're coming for you, Stu, Glen, Ralph and Larry. Hobbes will stop Darien and there isn't anything you can do about it. And that's when your time will end." Nadine stood on the ledge of the balcony, her all white hair dancing in the wind. She had told him that she would watch from hell holding their son in her arms. And then she jumped.

Flagg tried to stop her but he was too late. He sat on the floor, decided that he was going to stay and there was no backing out now. He had waited and worked for this moment too hard to give it all up now. Flagg may have changed his mind if he knew what Trash was up to.

Trash had found a storage facility where the military stored their nuclear weapons. He traveled through the facility on an ATV. There was only one thing on his mind and that was to bring back the big one for his master, the one he would give his life for.

Hobbes had stepped out to find some food and when he returned he saw the straps he had used to secure Darien lying in shreds on the ground. He looked around, "Fawkes?"

"Glad you came back, Robert. Now I get to play cat and mouse. You get to be the mouse." Darien's disembodied voice was haunting.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"You don't get to choose how you're going to die or when. You only get to chose how you're going to live."-- Joan Baez (b. 1941)

Tom was on his way back to Boulder. He moved at night and slept during the day, he didn't know why he did this or why he chose to leave during a full moon but he did. Tom figured he was told to do this when Glen had hypnotized him. Larry did say that he had done a better trick this time and he thought this was part of it.

During his journey at night, his thoughts had been on Darien and Hobbes. He had seen Darien brought in a circus like atmosphere and then shortly before he left, Hobbes was brought in much the same way. He was sad that he couldn't save them, but he knew he had to get back. So, at night alone, he traveled east.

Stu cooked a rabbit that Kojak had caught, but he wasn't very hungry. He was sick with the flu, not the super flu, but the common everyday flu that strikes during the fall. Stu coughed and threw the food at Kojak who had no problems with his appetite. It was ironic to Stu that he might die of the flu after all. He rested up against the car and his thoughts were on Frannie.

"Fawkes…come on, let's not do this." Hobbes turned around trying to get an idea on where Darien was standing.

"Oh but Robert, you know how much I enjoy this."

Hobbes felt the cold hands on him and he was thrown across the room. He landed on a table and slid across it before hitting the floor. "Here I go again," Hobbes said as he rubbed his back.

Darien chuckled and walked closer to his prey.

Larry, Ralph and Glen were approaching the Nevada/Utah border. They could see a road block ahead of them. The three men stopped knowing that this was it.

"I will fear no evil," Ralph said.

"I will fear no evil," Larry repeated.

They held hands hoping to give each other the spiritual strength they would need and walked towards the road block.

One of the men signaled that someone was coming. They raised their rifles and pointed them towards the trio. "Hold your fire…Flagg wants them taken alive," Dorgan announced. He was still feeling pretty good about the day before when he caught Darien, now it was time for him to shine again.

"Are you Stuart Redman, Glen Bateman, Larry Underwood and Ralph Brentner?" Paul Burlson asked.

"Man, what's the matter with you," Ralph said annoyed, "Can't you count?"

"Which one is missing?" Burlson asked.

"Stuart Redman met with an accident, he couldn't make the trip but he does send his regards," Larry said mockingly. He noticed how Burlson shook holding the gun, "You better be careful with that or else you may have an accident yourself."

Dorgan stepped up, "I'm Barry Dorgan, Chief of Las Vegas Security and by the virtue of the power invested in me, I arrest you and order you to come with me."

"Yeah, in whose name?" Glen asked nearly as soon as Dorgan started speaking.

"You know who I speak for," Dorgan said. He had dealt with a smartass yesterday and now he's got three more.

"Then why can't you say it?" Larry asked.

Dorgan and the others were silent.

Ralph shook his head, "Okay, then I'll tell you. He calls himself Randall Flagg, the walking dude, the dark man and even the tall man. But of course he's also Beelzebub, the apostate of hell and you men kiss his ass."

Larry and Glen both looked at Ralph in astonishment. Larry started to laugh. Ralph shrugged his shoulders, "Just thought I'd get that out."

"Cuff 'em and put them in the cars," Dorgan said. "Put farmer John and laughing boy in one car and put the old man in the other."

Larry and Ralph were in one car and Glen was in the other car. They headed towards Las Vegas and their meeting with Flagg. Ralph turned to Larry, "How do you think Stu is doing?"

"Dying," Larry said. "And so are we?"

Hobbes started to sit up when he heard a sound on top of the table. He stood up, "Fawkes?" he looked at the table and saw a burst of silver confetti.

Darien was hunched down on the table like a predatory animal waiting to spring on its prey. Darien's grin was deadly. Hobbes backed up from the table, "Fawkes, you need help."

"No, I'm fine now," Darien sprang from the table using his long legs.

'Like a friggin' grasshopper,' Hobbes thought to himself.

Darien sailed through the air with his arms outstretched. Hobbes put his hands up to try and push Darien away, but Darien's momentum was too strong and they both crashed through the glass window. They landed on the sidewalk and rolled in the broken glass.

Hobbes took the brunt of the impact, but Darien hit his head on the glass as they went through it. Darien staggered to his feet; blood from the cuts marked his face. Hobbes moaned and tried to sit up. He propped himself on his left elbow and saw a bloodied Darien walking towards him. Hobbes tried to reach for his gun, but Darien lifted him off the ground and grinned, "I don't think so, Hobbesy."

"Sorry, partner," Hobbes brought his knee up and hit Darien in his groin.

"Aughhh!!" Darien dropped Hobbes and then bent over; cupping his groin with his hands he dropped to his knees.

Hobbes walked over to Darien and took out his gun and held it up, "Gotta do this, pal." He was about to hit Darien with it when Darien reached out and grabbed Hobbes leg.

"Don't think so," Darien pulled with all his might and Hobbes fell backwards hitting the ground with a loud thud. The gun was knocked out of his hand and Darien picked it up. He cocked the gun and pointed it at Hobbes.

Hobbes looked up, "Don't do it, Fawkes. You don't have to listen to Flagg."

"I like listening to Flagg and right now he's telling me to kill you. I'll give Claire your love," Darien fired the gun.

A black crow flew off at the sound of the gun.

Claire jumped suddenly.

"Are you alright, Claire?" Dr. Richardson asked.

"I don't know, I just have this feeling that something awful happened to Bobby," Claire started to get nauseas. She ran to the bathroom and vomited. She washed her mouth and looked in the mirror at her stomach. Claire touched her stomach with her hands, "I'm pregnant and Bobby's dead." Claire started to cry.

Larry and Ralph were put in cells next to each other and Glen was put in a cell on another floor. Glen watched a cockroach scoot along the floor. He admired that bug for sometime, for its way to adapt and for the fact the bug will be still around even after he's dead.

Flagg walked up and promptly stomped on the roach, "So much for the roach outliving you, Glen."

Glen stood up and walked over to the bars to get a better look at Randall Flagg. "Randall Flagg, you're not half the boogy-man we made you out to be," Glen said gripping the bars.

Flagg just stared at Glen and thought to himself, 'He isn't afraid.' Flagg turned to Lloyd, "Glen Bateman meet my associate, Lloyd Henreid."

Lloyd shook his head, "Meetcha."

"Same here, Mr. Henreid." Glen said staring at the young man. Glen figured that Lloyd didn't want to be there anymore than he did.

With a tone that showed sympathy, Flagg asked Glen, "How's your arthritis, Glen?"

Glen closed and opened his hands, "Fine, better now that I'm in here." Glen struggled through the pain, but maintained his smile.

Flagg's smile turned to almost rage at Glen's demonstration. He lightly touched Glen's hands and little blue streaks of lighting struck Glen's joints.

"I've decided to let you go. You can leave on a small motorcycle and go back to Boulder. You have nothing to fear from me." Flagg stated with a smile.

"Of course I can't leave without my friends," Glen said fighting back the pain in his joints.

"Yeah, they're free to go too. All you have to do is get on your knees and ask. I'll let you go with the others and I'll take the pain away." Flagg's tone sounded sincere.

Glen burst out laughing, the pain in his hands not so bad now, "I can't believe we made such a big deal about you in Boulder, you're nothing but a cockroach that's afraid of the light." Glen was laughing whole heartedly now.

Flagg's continence grew eerily dark, his eyes turned a yellowish color and his smile faded. "Stop laughing!"

Glen only laughed harder.

"Stop laughing at me!"

Glen continued to laugh.

Flagg turned to Lloyd, "Kill him!"

Lloyd looked in shock, "I can't kill an old man." Lloyd had killed a least a dozen times in his life time, committed robberies, but he would never kill an old man.

Flagg became enraged and approached Lloyd, he gripped the stone and turned it into a key again and then back to the black stone, "Remember that you owe me, Lloyd. Now kill him!"

Lloyd approached the bars and fumbled with his gun.

"If you're going to shoot somebody, shoot him." Glen pointed at Flagg and started to laugh again. "Why don't you just kill me yourself, Flagg, or is it because you can't, you always have to have someone do the dirty work for you don't you?"

Flagg looked irritated, "If you're going to shoot someone will you at least hurry up."

Lloyd pulled the trigger and the gun went off, and missed Glen. Flagg became even more angered, "He's right in front of you, Lloyd!"

"You're losing your magic, Flagg. All your plans are falling apart and you know it. Your time is short and you can sense it.

Flagg turned to Lloyd, "Its guys like this that put you in prison and left you there to die, Lloyd. I came and got you out."

Lloyd hit the bars with his hand, "Mister, you don't fool me."

"He lies, Mr. Henreid, his whole existence is based on lies." Glen commented as he calmed down from his laughing attack.

"No, he's told me more truth than anyone else I know." Lloyd fired the gun. The bullet hit Glen in the stomach.

Glen slouched on the bunk and he looked at Lloyd, "Its okay, Mr. Henreid, you don't know any better."

"Shut up!" Lloyd fired two more times and watched as Glen's body fell lifeless to the floor.

Flagg patted Lloyd on the back, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."

Lloyd dropped the gun and started to cry. He had killed people before and it was no big deal, but now he killed a defenseless old man.

Darien sat on another motorcycle. He checked his rear view mirror and saw Hobbes' body lying on the ground, "So long, my one time partner." His gaze turned eastward, "I'll say hello to Claire for you. We have unfinished business to take of and you and Monroe are not around to interrupt us this time." Darien put on sunglasses to hide his red eyes and with a malicious smile, he drove off singing.

Get your motor running   
Head out on the highway   
Looking for adventure   
In whatever comes our way   
  
Yeah, darling   
Gonna make it happen   
Take the world in a love embrace   
Fire all of your guns at once and   
Explode into space   
  
Like a true nature child   
We were born   
Born to be wild   
We have climbed so high   
Never want to die   
Born to be wild   
Born to be wild


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"I saw a pale horse and a pale rider upon it. The name of the horse was pestilence. The name of the rider was death."—Gary Sinise as Stuart Redman quoting a reference to Revelation 6:8 from the TV mini-series "The Stand"

Two hands reached out from the bars. Larry's hand met Ralph's. They heard the gun shots. How couldn't they? The prison was virtually empty so the shots bounced off the walls in an eerie echo. They held hands as they recited _The Lord's Prayer_. Glen was dead and they knew it, which meant that their time was short.

Tom made his way out of Nevada and it was easier for him to move around during the day. He had a hard time shaking the image of Darien in that cage, the noise the crowd was making and the way they seemed to party. "Why do grown ups have to act so stupid?" He asked out loud as he sent a rock sailing through the air when he kicked it.

By morning Darien was close to the middle of New Mexico when the bike he was riding ran out of gas. His head still hurt from the fight with Hobbes yesterday, "Bet Robert isn't hurting," he said with a chuckle. Darien got off the bike and started to walk. No sense in waiting for road side service. He'll find another bike or car and he'll be on his way again. The problem was he was hungry, thirsty and tired. But he felt like he was being pushed along, the voice in his head kept him going.

Darien walked for miles. He didn't know how far he had walked in the gleaming hot sun. The sweat on his brow mixed with the dry blood gave the impression that he was sweating blood, his white shirt now a grayish color with streaks of red on it. The sun was behind him now.

_I didn't come to ask you to stay all night_

_Or to find out if you've seen the light_

_I didn't come to make a fuss or pick a fight_

_I just want you to tell me if you think you can_

_Baby, can you dig your man?_

_Dig him, baby---_

_Baby, can you dig your man?_

Darien sang as he walked unsteadily along the side of the road. "'Didn't come to make a fuss or pick a fight'…yeah, sure. How wrong you are you, my friend." Darien laughed and he nearly lost his balance.

"Oopsie, almost fell down. If you wanted me to walk a hundred miles you could have at least sent me some food and water…you horny-head red eyed freak!" Darien yelled into the darkening sky. The early evening stars were twinkling at Darien, he glared back with his own haunting red eyes, "Stop laughing at me!" Darien pushed his tired body on and sang.

_Hey baby I came down here tonight_

_And I didn't come to get into no fight_

_I just want you to say if you can_

_Tell me once and I'll understand_

_Baby, can you dig your man?_

_He's a righteous man,_

_Baby, can you dig your man?_

__

"Wonder bread, get your pale ass up," A voice called into Larry's cell.

Larry looked between the bars and saw a grinning black man staring back at him. Behind him were Dorgan and a few other men. "What is it, I'm busy?"

"Real funny," Rat-Man continued, "It's the end for you and your friend."

"Oh, okay," Larry got up from the bunk and walked towards the cell door.

The door opened and Larry walked out. Ralph stood there looking at Larry and then turned his attention to Dorgan, "Who was shot yesterday?"

"Glen Bateman was killed," Dorgan said, "Trying to escape."

"Trying to escape?" Larry laughed and held out his wrists, no sense in trying to resist. Dorgan put the cuffs on. Larry looked at the black man, "You know Ratty, one of these days you're going to be shot trying to escape too."

"One less Rat-Man in the world," Ralph mused.

Rat-Man raised his rifle to hit Ralph with it. Dorgan stopped him, "You're going to be an ass again?" Dorgan looked intently into the black man's eyes, "Flagg knows that you hit Fawkes, don't make the same mistake again."

Larry and Ralph looked at each other in confusion, "Wait, you mean Darien Fawkes?" Larry asked with a hint of confusion in his tone.

"Yeah, that's right we caught the invisible man the other day, he and his fool friend. Thought they could get by when the Rat-Man is on the scene." Ratty said. "I even have the skin off that leopard," Ratty showed off the black leather jacket.

Ralph and Larry recognized it, "Where are they?" Ralph asked.

"That's no concern of yours," Dorgan said. "You should be concerned about what's going to happen to you two."

"Hey, did you say invisible man?" Larry asked.

Rat-Man smiled, "He kept it a secret," He paused, "Man, the things I would do if I could turn invisible, rob banks, and sneak peeks at naked women." The other men laughed and high-fived Rat-Man.

"Looks like the government was working on something other than the flu," Ralph said.

"Yeah, no wonder Tom could never find him," Larry chuckled at the thought.

Larry knew that Darien didn't do that to be mean to Tom, just trying to make Tom forget about the situation. Tom loved it; he was so determined to find Darien that the games made his day. Larry had never seen Tom so happy as when they played hide and seek. Darien must have known how excited Tom was when he took time from his day to play. Nick and Darien had become Tom's big brothers and Larry felt suddenly sad for Tom.

Stu dreamt of the old black woman again. This time she was telling him to get up and watch, to witness something and bring back the news. When he woke he had no idea what the dream meant but he knew he had to get up that slope, somehow.

Stu struggled, he was terribly sick and weak. Kojak could only stand by wagging his tail wondering what the human was up to. Stu crawled to the edge of the slope and looked up. It seemed higher from his position on the ground. "God, help me," Stu quickly prayed and started his ascent up what appeared to him to be a mountain.

Stu tried his best to get his footing. At one point he went another two inches and slipped back down five inches. He nearly gave up halfway up when Mother Abigail's words rang out in his head, "Move, East Texas!"

"I can't," Stu panted. He looked down at Kojak, "I'm stuck." Kojak scampered up the slope and stopped next to Stu. Pebbles were falling to the ground below. Stu reached out and grabbed Kojak's collar. "Okay, boy, go on," Stu commanded and Kojak's big paws dug into the dirt.

Stu's hand reached over the ledge and he let go of Kojak, "Almost there." Kojak was barking support, his tail wagging so hard Stu thought it might fall off. He was almost over the edge when a huge hand grabbed his. Stu looked up.

"Stu!" Tom grabbed Stu's other hand and pulled him up.

Stu looked up, 'Is that Tom?' he thought to himself. "Are you Tom?"

"Laws yes, Stu. M-O-O-N that spells Tom Cullen!"

"Tom," was all Stu could manage before he passed out.

Larry and Ralph were placed in a prisoner transport van. "You think they're going to crucify us?" Ralph asked.

"Or something like that," Larry said. He turned to Dorgan, "What happened to Darien and Hobbes? Did you crucify them too?"

"I imagine they were," Dorgan said uncertain of their fate.

Larry smiled, "Aren't you the security chief? You should know what happens to your prisoners."

"Oh they're dead alright, just like you two fools will be." Rat-Man said with his gun pointed at Larry and Ralph. "But you two have something special waitin' for you," he smiled as he leaned back up against the side of the van.

"You're lying," Ralph said, "They got away and you're too embarrassed to admit it. Looks like you couldn't keep the invisible man after all."

"They're scared, Ralph, can you feel it. It's almost over for them now." Larry said. He did sense it and so did Ralph. Somehow, their deaths would bring about the end of Flagg.

Rat-Man stood up, "You shut yo mouths, don't give me that white voodoo talk!"

"This has nothing to do with voodoo, Ratty." Larry noted. "You're looking awfully pale now Ratty."

"Are you scared, Larry?" Ralph whispered.

"Yeah, I am. How about you?"

"I hate pain, didn't like going to the doctor when I was younger and still don't," Ralph mused.

"Well, whatever they're going to do to us, they are going to make a big show of it. Guess Flagg wants to prove he's the head honcho around here. Is that why we came out here?"

"I don't know, but it won't be for nothing," Ralph commented dolefully. They both sat in silence as the van made its way to the center of the city.

Stu woke up and saw the stars in the sky. He looked around and wondered if he had dreamt that someone found him.

"Stu! You woke up!" Tom's voice was loud.

Stu turned his head in the direction of the voice and smiled, "Guess I wasn't dreaming."

"You hurt your leg. I hurt my leg one time, jumped off a haystack. It hurt real bad, I broke it too. My daddy whipped me hard, laws yes. But that was before he ran off with Miss Packalotte."

Stu looked at the young man sitting next to him. Tom had grown a beard, hardly the boy that left Boulder. Tom did real well as a spy. "I broke my leg too, Tom. You wouldn't happen to have any water with ya?"

"Water…laws yes, all kinds of water, M-O-O-N that spells water." Tom handed Stu a water bottle. "I need to get you somewhere, like under a tent or something."

"No Tom, we have to stay here. Something is gonna happen and we need to see it." Stu coughed hard.

"Oh Stu, you're sick too. That's not good."

"How'd you find me Tom?"

"Nick told me in a dream. Laws yes, Nick can talk isn't that the limit? He told me to come back this way. He tells me where to go and what to do. But when I try to talk to him he disappears. Is Nick okay?" Tom asked.

"Not now, Tom. I can't talk about that," Stu said.

"And what about Darien? I saw him in Las Vegas, I think the dark man crucified him." Tom looked down at the ground, "Hobbes was there too."

"I don't know, Tom, I don't know." Stu watched the sky. He didn't know what he was looking for, but he figured he would know when he saw it.

"A is for apples. B is for bacon. C is for cheeseburgers. D is for donuts. E is for éclairs. F is for fried chicken. G is for grapes…" Darien continued his long trek. There were no vehicles of any kind in sight. He was not only tired, hungry, thirsty, delirious, but he was cold and in stage 4 madness.

Darien looked up the night time sky. There wasn't a cloud in sight. The night air was cool and the wind called to him to continue. "Yeah, yeah, I hear you. But can you at least ask Flagg to send me Golda or something," Darien chuckled.

Darien heard the Official's voice in his head, "This was never about you."

"You were going to kill me you fat bastard! Now look, huh? Who has the last laugh now?" Darien held out his arms, "Do you hear me? I'm still walking and you…you are _nothing_!" Darien said with venom in his voice. "Well, it's about me now and I'll get my revenge…oh yeah, all those damn needles…I've got something sweet for little Miss Keepy and it ain't a needle. Woohooo! It's party time!"

The van came to a stop and the doors flew open. There was roar from the crowd as Larry and Ralph were pushed out of the van. People pushed forward trying to get a good look at the new spies. Five spies caught in a week was cause for celebration. The crowd didn't seem to mind that only two were going to be executed in public.

Julie Lawry came up to Larry and grabbed his face, "Hey, aren't you famous?" She spit in his face, "Now I'm famous too."

Larry and Ralph were pushed towards a giant stage. There were two large horseshoe shaped apparatus on either side of the stage. There were two steal beams in the center of each horseshoe that resembled a cross. Larry's wrists were cuffed and his ankles in like manner. An executioner adjusted the chains and Larry's arms and legs were stretched out. Ralph received the same treatment. "Isn't a horseshoe supposed to mean good luck?" Larry asked looking at Ralph.

"I don't feel very lucky. They're going to pull us apart, Larry."

Larry yelled at Dorgan, "Did they teach you this at Santa Monica PD?" Larry looked out at the crowd, "Remember what you see here today. It could be your turn next."

There was a murmur in the crowd then a loud cheer as Randall Flagg appeared center stage. He was still wearing his blue jeans, his jacket and his rundown cowboy boots. His smile was charming as usual. He walked down the steps and stood between the two men. "Lloyd," he called out and was handed a scroll. Flagg stood at the microphone and read off the charges including the false charge that they were responsible for the explosion at the airfield that killed all the pilots.

The sentence for the spies was death by dismemberment and the crowd erupted in large cheers. Flagg excused those with small children.

A man jumped on the stage and started yelling, "Hey you people!" Whitney cried out, "This isn't right, this isn't how Americans act!" Whitney had been one of the men that left under the cover of night, but he had come back in hopes of stopping Flagg. "We have to stop this!"

"Whitney, you should have stayed quiet." The hauntingly calm voice said.

Whitney slowly turned around and faced Flagg, "You're not a man you're the…the…devil."

Flagg smiled, "I would have let you go, Whitney. I don't need a sniffling coward like you." Flagg raised his finger and small ball of blue light radiated from it. There was a soft sigh from the crowd as the fire ball grew bigger. The ball engulfed Whitney sealing his mouth shut and he fell to the ground.

"Anyone else that doesn't agree with this sentence speak now or forever hold your peace," Flagg looked around and no one moved. "Didn't think so," he looked at the two executioners and motioned for them to continue.

The chains were pulled tighter on Ralph and Larry. They both groaned at the tension in their shoulders and hips. But as soon as it started it ended. Larry opened his eyes to see the crowd parting, "Ralph, you see that?"

"Who is that?" Ralph asked.

"What is that is more like it," Larry commented.

A man riding on an ATV was making his way through the murmuring crowd. His face was in hideous disarray. Most of his teeth were gone. There was no hair on top of his head and his skin looked as if it had been melting like butter in the hot sun. When he removed his goggles it peeled away from his skin like it had been glued on. His whole body reeked of radiation sickness.

Fear spread across Flagg's face as he took in the sight before him. He grabbed Lloyd, "Get him out of here," he commanded.

"My life for you…I brought you the big one!" Trashcan Man said with a raspy voice.

Lloyd made his way down the stage and approached Trash, "What you got there Trash?"

"Is that you Lloyd? I can't see very well," Trash said looking around.

"Yeah, it's me, Trash…what is that?" Lloyd deep down inside knew what it was.

"It's the big one…the A-bomb," Trash started to laugh.

Julie Lawry placed her hands to her face and screamed, "He's got a BOMB!!!!" She ran and tripped over Whitney, she died instantly.

"Trash, get it out of here!" Lloyd yelled.

"Make him take it away!" Flagg said. He became concerned and his features changed.

The blue fire ball floated into the air from where Whitney and Julie lay. Everyone gasped. Flagg stood there watching almost hypnotized by the sight. "Larry look! It's the hand of God!" Ralph's face turned from fear to joy and his eyes sparkled like the stars in the sky.

"Amazing Grace," Larry looked up at the giant hand that formed from the ball of fire. They watched as it gripped the bomb.

Flagg was breathing hard, "Noooo!!!"

There was a voice in the sky, "The promise has been kept as God has willed it. Amen." Larry and Ralph recognized the voice as Mother Abigail.

The hand sent an electrical charge through the bomb. Both Larry and Ralph were smiling. "You done good boys, come on home," Mother Abigail announced.

Larry looked up, "Take us home, Mother."

Flagg turned into a crow just as the bomb exploded.

Stu and Tom looked west and saw the night time sky light up. To Tom it looked like the sun was rising in the west instead of the east. They both looked at each other. "It's the end of Randall Flagg," Stu announced.

"What about, Larry, Glen, Ralph, Darien and Hobbes?" Tom asked.

Stu could only shake his head. Tom cried.

Darien stopped when he saw his shadow and he turned around quickly. A huge fireball lit up the sky, "Whoa…what was…" Darien's hand grabbed the back of his neck as he stumbled across the road. He lost his balance and fell to his knees, he squeezed his eyes shut and fell over backwards. Darien slipped into unconsciousness.

TBC...


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us."-- Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-68)

As Stu sat in the abandoned car, he silently prayed, "Please God, just this once." He looked over his shoulder, "You ready, Tom?" He wiped his brow and gave Tom the signal.

Tom pushed the car and Stu yelled for Tom to get in. Tom hopped in and gave Stu a hopeful look.

"Well, here goes nothin'," Stu popped the clutch. With a shake and a cough the car started up. Stu smiled at Tom.

"We're going home, Stu?" Tom asked.

"Yeah, Tom, I think so," Stu started coughing worse than the car. He looked at Tom with uncertainty. He was sure Tom could make it but he wasn't sure about himself.

Darien woke up on the ground and attempted to shake the cobwebs from his mind, "What the…where am I?" He staggered to his feet and the corn stalks were nearly as tall as him. "Nebraska…I'm in Nebraska…again?" He started to walk through the cornfield as he had done so many times before.

Darien walked out of the cornfield and as he suspected, Mother Abigail was sitting there on her rocker. She wasn't alone. Nick, Sue, Ralph, Glen and Larry were with her this time. "I don't understand…what's going on here?"

"What's the last thing you remember, Darien?" Mother Abigail asked.

"I was walking, got heat stroke I guess…I passed out. When I woke up, I was here." Darien looked at the faces staring back at him, "Am I dead?"

Mother Abigail laughed, "No, Darien, you ain't dead."

Darien's memory kicked into overdrive, "Oh no!!! I remember…I was quicksilver mad…I shot Hobbes!" Darien collapsed on the ground, "I killed Hobbes…I killed him." He buried his face in his hands, "What have I done?"

Larry came over and knelt down next to Darien, "Hobbes isn't dead, Darien…he's still alive." He put his hand on Darien's shoulder.

Darien looked up, "What? But I shot him and left him."

"You didn't kill him, you still have time to go back." Larry stood up and walked away.

"But I'm sick, how can I walk back?" Darien asked.

"That has all been taken care of, Darien…now, wake up!" Mother Abigail instructed Darien.

Darien stirred and found himself in the middle of the road. It was day time and by the looks of where the sun was, it was early afternoon. Darien wobbled to his sore feet and weakly looked around. His lips and mouth dry. He forced his legs to turn the rest of his body around and head southwest. Unconsciously, Darien looked at his wrist, he didn't really have to; he knew already that it was full green. The voice in his head was gone.

"There was an explosion out west…oh crap!" Darien remembered the fire ball in the sky. "A nuclear explosion…" Darien said. With all the strength he had, he started to walk. Even though his legs ached, his muscles were cramping, his head hurt, hungry and on the verge of dehydration, he pushed on.

Darien had fallen a few times on the road, scrapping his elbows and hands. The sun was in the west now and Darien was getting worse. His vision was blurry; he was hot and hardly sweating. 'Not good,' he thought to himself. He started to laugh like someone told him a joke. Darien glanced up towards the sky, "A little help here, I'm not asking for much, but a little manna and water from a rock would be nice right about now, you know what I'm saying!" He fell to the ground and a cloud of dust surrounded him. Darien coughed and a puff of desert dirt flew up in his face, he rolled over unto his back and finished his prayer, "Amen." Darien passed out from exhaustion.

Where ever Darien was, it was dark and he was floating. He wasn't afraid anymore, he felt peaceful and that was something he hadn't felt in years. His thoughts were on nothing in particular, only that where he was he felt no pain, hunger and or thirst. 'So this is what happens when you die?' Darien thought to himself. In the darkness, he saw a soft circle of light, not too bright so it didn't hurt his eyes. He was curious about that light and focused on it.

"Fawkes," a soft voice penetrated the darkness.

'Kevin?' Darien answered

"Fawkes," the voice repeated.

'Kevin, I'm here, why are you calling me by our last name?' Darien asked in a tone filled with confusion.

"Darien," the voice now said his first name.

The small circle of light started to get bigger as Darien felt himself being pulled up from the abyss. He continued to hear someone calling his name. 'Wait, that's a…a…flashlight?'

Something wet was hitting his lips. Instinctively Darien's lips parted and he opened his mouth. He didn't expect the rush of liquid in his mouth and he coughed most of it up.

"Easy, drink slow."

Darien heard the voice and felt a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He panted hard, trying to catch his breath, but only coughed some more. His lungs hurt and he clutched at his chest. He wasn't dead after all and the voice he heard wasn't Kevin's.

"Ready to try again?"

Darien shook his head to show that he was ready and this time he was ready for the water. It burned as it went down, but it felt good. With all his strength he tried to open his eyes but he couldn't. He felt a wet cloth wiping his face and it felt cool against his hot flesh.

"Didn't I tell you that even with quicksilver you still need to wear sun screen."

"Hobbes?" Darien asked. His voice was raspy.

"Yeah, partner, it's me." Hobbes said with a smile.

Darien wanted to open his eyes but it was still difficult. He wanted to see if he was dreaming, dead or hallucinating. "It's true? I didn't …"

"It's not so easy to kill Bobby Hobbes, my friend. You still have the sorriest aim I've ever seen." Hobbes partly chuckled. "The bullet went through my shoulder, just below the clavicle. I bandaged myself up and came after your sorry ass."

Darien attempted a weak smile, "I'm glad." Darien lifted his arm to feel Hobbes.

Hobbes took Darien's hand and touched the top of his head with it, he was shocked at how hot Darien's skin felt, "See, it's me and I'm real." Hobbes heard Darien let out a sigh and then his hand fell to the ground. "Fawkes? Fawkes?" There was no response. Darien's breathing became rapid and deep. His body began to shiver.

"This ain't good. Fawkes, you better not die on me."

Hobbes got Darien to a motel and found a drug store. What he really needed was to get water into Darien and fast. He looked at the map of the city and found the nearest hospital. He looked back at Darien, he didn't want to leave him, but with his injury, carrying Darien was not an option.

Hobbes searched the emergency room and found the necessary supplies. A medical book, IV supplies and kaolectrolyte packets, he even took an IV pole. He found some of those instant ice packs, the ones that you break the pouch and you have an instant ice pack.

Once back at the motel, he threw everything down on the bed. He swabbed the back of Darien's hand with alcohol and inserted the needle. He taped it up like it showed in the book. The saline bag was attached to the pole and he had the IV started in no time. He broke the ice packs and placed them under Darien's armpits, on his neck, his head and his groin area.

Darien didn't like the pressure in his hand from the IV and he squirmed a bit. "Easy, Fawkes, it's just the IV," Hobbes said.

Darien opened his sunken eyes and Hobbes took a step back, "Oh damn, Fawkes, when was the last time you drank water?"

Darien answered, "I don't want to go to school Aunt CeCe…my tummy hurts."

Confusingly Hobbes answered, "Fawkes, it's me Hobbes, your partner, not Aunt Celia." Darien didn't hear him, he was asleep again. "Great, the kid's hallucinating, thinks I'm his Aunt Celia."

For the first couple of hours, he kept a vigil by Darien's bed side. Hobbes shook his head at Darien, "Didn't you know that you're supposed to have plenty of water. But then again you were QSM and not exactly thinking like Albert Einstein."

Hobbes read some more of the book and realized that he needed his own treatment. When he felt that Darien was okay and still had plenty of saline solution in the bag, he stood up to go back to the drug store. He was just about to open the door when someone knocked. Hobbes jumped and drew his weapon; he glanced back at Darien who was still sleeping. Hobbes peered through the peep hole, "What the…it can't be." He looked again, "It is."

Hobbes opened the door and stared at the woman standing in front of him, "Hello, Bobby. Where's Darien?"

"How did you know…?" Hobbes was cut off.

"I'm sorry, Bobby. No time to explain. I must see Darien…you know I can help him." The woman looked at Hobbes.

"Sure, yeah…come in. He's on the bed." Hobbes let the woman in.

The woman walked swiftly to Darien. She checked the IV bag and the back of his hand, "You did this?"

"Yes, I did." Hobbes sat down on the chair next to Darien.

"You did a good job. You may have even saved his life."

Hobbes watched Casey O'Claire take a quick look at Darien. "I'm still wondering, Doc, how did you know we were here and that Fawkes needed help?" Hobbes asked.

"Mother Abigail," Casey answered as she checked Darien's temperature. "Do you have any fresh ice packs?"

"Yeah, here," Hobbes got up and handed Casey all the supplies he took from the hospital.

Casey looked at everything, "Where did you get this?"

"From the hospital up the road," Hobbes said. He watched as Casey checked all of Darien's vitals.

"I'm going to need some more supplies. I need to insert a catheter." Casey started to make a list.

"A cath…catheter?"

"Well, yes of course. He won't be using the bathroom anytime soon on his own. Do you want to change sheets?" Casey raised a brow at Hobbes.

"No…and I really didn't need to know that. Now I'm getting a mental image." Hobbes said.

"Well, mainly it's to monitor urine output and the Foley catheter I'm going to use has a thermistor at the tip to monitor his temperature. I'll need to insert a nasogastric tube also." Casey saw the horrid look on Hobbes face, "I need to monitor any fluid loss plus I can feed him this way."

"How many things are you going to stick in him, Doc?" Hobbes asked looking at his very ill partner. Suddenly he felt guilty for not finding Fawkes sooner.

"As many things as I need to keep him alive." Casey gave Darien an exam. She noticed how blistered and swollen his feet were, "Hobbes, how did he get like this?"

"Well it's a long story," Hobbes grimaced when he saw how bad Darien's feet looked.

"Short version, you can tell me the long version later." Casey wet some towels with bottled water and lightly dapped Darien's feet.

"He was quicksilver mad and he walked, I don't know how far." Hobbes said.

"I checked his eyes, he's not quicksilver mad now, did you give him what ever it is he needs?" Casey asked. She couldn't remember the name of the drug.

"No…and that's a long story too."

Casey covered Darien's feet, "Well, judging by the sores, I'd say he walked for at least a day, maybe more." Casey stood up, "I need to get to that hospital. Show me where it is."

"I'll walk you there myself," Hobbes started for the door.

"No, I need you to stay here and keep an eye on him."

"Sorry, can't let you out there by yourself. Give me the list and I'll get your stuff. Just be specific." Hobbes held out his hand to take the list.

Casey saw the determination in Hobbes eyes, "Are you sure you can find everything I wrote down?"

"I found the other stuff okay, didn't I?" Hobbes let out a deep throated growl.

"Okay, but I'm also going to write some stuff down for you too. Don't think I didn't notice your gun shot wound. I'll need to fix you up as well." Casey wrote out her list and handed it to Hobbes.

"Lock the door behind me," Hobbes walked out.

Casey locked the door. She turned and looked at Darien. All the memories came back to her. The dates they had, the lie he told her, being taken to Mexico by some Swiss-French guy. "Forgiveness, huh? Okay, I'll try," Casey sat on the bed next to Darien and held his hand in hers.

Hobbes reached the hospital and he put on a mask to guard him from the odor. The hospital was the place where many flu victims surrendered to the reaper. He searched the emergency room and found the catheter insertion tray. Hobbes grimaced at the thought, "That's gotta hurt." He found the other supplies on Casey's list and hurried back to the motel.

Casey stayed at Darien's side and talked to him. She told him what she'd been up to the past two years. How she did think of him but she didn't go into details. She bent over and kissed his lips gently. Darien moved and a soft moan escaped his lips.

Casey traced his eyebrow with a finger, "Darien?" she said softly.

Darien slightly opened his eyes. He couldn't really see who was there, but he recognized the voice. At least he thought he did.

"Darien, it's me." Casey kissed his lips again.

"Casey?" Darien mumbled as his eyes closed.

Hobbes knocked at the door. Casey jumped up and looked to see who it was first. She opened the door when she saw Hobbes with a bag full of supplies. Casey took the bag and poured everything out on the other bed. "I found this little gizmo, its battery operated and I grabbed some more batteries for it too," Hobbes handed Casey a blood pressure and pulse monitor that goes around the wrist.

Casey looked at it, "Very nice, Bobby." She placed the batteries in and wrapped it around Darien's left wrist. She gathered all the catheter supplies and looked at Hobbes, "You may want to go outside if you're squeamish. For a woman, it's easier, but for a man, it's not very pleasant."

"I think I'll take you up on that offer. Let me know when you're done." Hobbes left the room quickly and waited outside. As hard as he tried he couldn't get the image out of his head of that catheter. He paced back and forth in front of the door like an expectant father. He jumped when Casey opened the door a few minutes later.

"Okay, all done." Casey shot her head outside the door.

"Really? I didn't hear him scream," Hobbes was pleasantly surprised and noticed that Darien was still sleeping.

"Well, I do have gentle hands. He did squirm a bit, but that's normal," Casey was preparing a syringe. "I'm going to give him Lorazepam to help with the shivers, it's a sedative." Casey cleaned the injection cap, injected the medication right into the IV line and then flushed the line with saline.

Hobbes watched with curiosity. "He's lucky that you're here. I don't think I would have been able to do all that."

Casey smiled at Hobbes, "Well, thank you, Bobby, but he's lucky that you found him and started the IV. You'd make a good paramedic." Casey walked over and kissed Hobbes on his cheek. She patched him up and put his arm in a sling. Casey looked at how tired Hobbes was. "You should get some rest. We're going to have to take turns watching him. I'll show you what you need to do later, okay?"

"You sure, I mean you did a lot already," Hobbes looked at the various tubes and beeping sounds that the battery operated equipment was making. "Is he gonna make it?"

Casey looked at Darien, "Yeah, Bobby, he'll make it." She had seen worse cases and the patient survived, but then again she took care of them in a hospital, not in a motel room turned clinic. "I'll take first watch to make sure I inserted everything okay. We may need fresh equipment once these batteries die down, especially in the ECG monitor."

"I'll see what I can do. Wake me in two hours." Hobbes said.

"Four hours and no less, you need to rest, Bobby. I don't need you in this condition too." Casey motioned towards Darien.

Hobbes smiled and went to the other room to rest; he shot his head in the door way, "Four hours, no more."

Casey laughed, "Okay, okay, just go to sleep." She moved the chair to the side of the bed. She continued to administer other medications to prevent damage or even failure to his vital organs. This was a critical time for Darien. Casey hoped that they got to him in time. She marked in her notes what she gave him, how much and at what time. Casey put her notes down and held Darien's hand. She watched as the tape came out of the portable electrocardiogram machine. Casey tore the tape and studied it; she smiled and patted Darien on his arm, "Good, very good."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"An error doesn't become a mistake until you refuse to correct it."  
-- Orlando A. Battista 

Hobbes came into the room four hours later. He saw Casey sitting by Darien's bed writing. "Hey Doc, how's the patient?"

"This patient is doing well, how about you?" Casey asked. She put the papers down and walked towards Hobbes. She checked his shoulder.

"It's sore, but I can handle it." Hobbes winced when she moved his arm slightly.

Casey smiled, "Male macho spy training or are you lying?"

"Okay, you got me, a little of both," Hobbes sat down. "Okay, your turn to rest."

Casey sat down on the other bed, "Bobby, you've been with Darien the past two years, tell me about him."

Hobbes looked at Casey. Fawkes hadn't talked much about Casey after their relationship had ended. He didn't pursue the subject thinking that Fawkes didn't want to talk about it. He let out a deep cleansing sigh, "One thing I've learned about Fawkes is that he speaks what's on his mind. If he expressed any love towards you, he meant it. He probably lied to you because he would rather lie and hold on to you rather than tell you the truth and lose you." Hobbes paused, "You would have dumped him if he told you the truth, so he thought lying was the better option. Wrong as it was, he did it out of love for you."

"I don't know, Bobby. Can I trust him?"

"Yes, like I trust him with my life," Hobbes said. He studied her for a moment, "You still love him don't you?"

"Yeah, I do. I don't think I really ever stopped loving him, I was just so angry. It was the trusting part that drove me away. How do I know that he wasn't lying about other stuff or won't lie again?" Casey stood up and walked across the room.

"Fawkes is not the same guy you knew. He's put his life on the line for a lot people including mine. I think that maybe you need to give the new and improved Darien Fawkes a chance. If he told you that he loved you, take it from Bobby Hobbes, he was telling you the truth." Hobbes looked over at Darien, "I once said that he was a lazy selfish snot nose kid."

Casey eyed Hobbes carefully. Hobbes looked down and played with the sling. He looked back up at Casey, "He proved me wrong. Fawkes is the most loyal person I know. He's still a little lazy, but not selfish. When Claire gave him the gene therapy to cure quicksilver madness, he would have stayed with the agency had the Fat Man not bet his life on it." Hobbes noted confusion on Casey's face, "That's another long story."

"Bobby, I'm not tired. Besides, I want to hear." Casey opened up a bottle of water and made herself comfortable.

Hobbes told her what happened with the gene therapy. Who Claire was, some of the cases they worked on together and the fact that Darien's love life was basically next to nil.

Casey smiled at Hobbes and then glanced at Darien. She took a deep breath. Was she ready to give him that new start he asked for two years ago? Casey wasn't sure, she still had feelings for Darien and from what Hobbes had just told her, maybe it was a chance she was willing take. She went over the notes with Hobbes and had all the syringes prepared and marked. Casey told him what time to give them, where to write in the chart so she would have a record of time and dosage.

"How long is he going to be like this?" Hobbes asked.

"My guess is about a week. He'll be in and out of consciousness for a couple of days." Casey looked at Darien, "We should start to see improvements as time goes by. Without electricity or lab techs I can't really run the kind of tests I need. It's a waiting game now."

"Does the fact that he recognized you and me help?" Hobbes took out some food and put it on the table.

"Yes, it does. It's a very good sign." Casey sat down at the table. They ate and watched Darien move from time to time. He seemed to get agitated and then calmed down. Casey knew that the next couple of days were going to be long.

In Utah, Tom had encountered his own problem with Stu being ill. He thought that Stu would die on him until Nick had come to him a dream and told him what to do. Tom forced medication into Stu and waited.

It took a good two weeks for Stu to come around. Tom took care of him the whole time. Stu didn't even know that half the time Tom was forcing liquids in him. Tom bathed him, changed his clothes, and the sheets. Tom didn't have the expertise to use medical supplies like Casey had with Darien.

Stu had given Tom a scare when he relapsed, but two days later he pulled through. Tom woke up and there was Stu sitting up and looking around.

"I'm alive, Tom, thanks to you," Stu said. "I'm hungry big guy," Stu paused, he thought about what he said, "I'm sorry, Tom." That's what Darien called Tom. He watched Tom's face turn from joy to sadness.

"Nick is dead too, isn't he, Stu?" Tom played with the buttons on his shirt.

"Yeah, Tom, he is." Stu felt horrible for Tom, probably the only two people who ever made Tom feel special were gone.

"I knew it! Nick gave me a bike, Stu. No one had ever given me anything." Tom got up and turned his back on Stu, "He told me in my dream, Stu." Tom paused, he took out the badge that Darien had given him, "Stu, how come Darien doesn't visit me in my dreams like Nick does?"

"I don't know," Stu didn't know what to say to Tom. "Maybe Darien is helping other people since Nick is helping you." Stu noticed the glistening badge when Tom turned to face him, "You took that with you?"

"Darien made me a secret agent. I couldn't leave my badge behind." Tom said as he rubbed the badge with his shirt. When he was done, he carefully tucked it back in his jacket. Tom seemed to be satisfied with the answer. "What do you want toeat?"

"Some soup with some noodles in it," Stu leaned back and watched as Tom left to find something to eat. All Stu could think about was getting back to Boulder and to Frannie. He didn't want to leave until he felt he was okay to travel. His near death experience with the flu made him more cautious about taking their trip too soon.

Little did Stu know that in New Mexico, Hobbes and Casey were having the same discussion.

"I wouldn't risk moving Darien too soon. His immune system is shot and a night out in the cold air could be bad for him. Besides, he doesn't need the stress right now. Heat Stroke is hard on the heart. We should wait until he's stronger." Casey said to Hobbes. They were standing outside talking when the door opened.

"If you two are talking about me, I think I need to know," Darien said. He stood at the door bracing himself to keep his body vertical instead of horizontal.

Casey glared at him, "Get back in bed!"

"Case, I'm going nuts in here," Darien said. "I think I have cabin fever. Come on, let me sit outside, it won't kill me."

"It almost did, my friend." Hobbes reminded Darien.

Darien rolled his eyes, "Okay, I think we've gone over why I had Heat Stroke like a million times already." Darien produced a water bottle. He quicksilvered his hand and the bottle froze, "See, now its cold water."

Casey and Hobbes looked at each other and folded their arms.

"Aw come on, you two…please." Darien said. He sounded like a child asking for just one more cookie. His brown eyes pleaded his case.

Hobbes looked at Darien, "I see you still remembered how to pout."

"And look like a poor puppy."

"What do you think, Doc? We let the kid sit out here for a bit and get some fresh air?" Hobbes asked looking at his partner. Darien had been cooped up in the motel room for the past two weeks.

Darien shook his head in earnest, "Fresh air is good…please, Case. I can't take it in here anymore. Besides, you owe me for all the crap you stuck in me."

Casey gave in, "Okay, but I'm sitting with you." Casey walked with Darien to a bus bench and the two of them sat down. The weather was nice enough outside to take a well deserved breather.

Hobbes watched from the door as the two walked across the street and sat down on a bus bench, "Now, talk you two," he mumbled to himself as he smiled.

Darien and Casey sat in uneasy silence until Darien broke the ice, "You coming with us to Boulder?"

Casey looked down at her clasped hands that rested on her lap, "Yeah, Bobby said that there's a shortage of doctors."

"Hobbes told you a lot while I was out of it?" Darien said. "What else did you two talk about?" He knew that they must have talked about him.

"We talked about you if you must know," Casey said. "Nothing bad, only about how much you changed."

"Look, Case, I am sorry about what I did. I know that nothing I can say will change that. When we get back to Boulder, if you don't want to see me, I understand." Darien started to get up, but he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"No, sit down." Casey took in a deep breath, "I was angry for the lie, Darien but I never really stopped loving you, I thought I did at first, but it was only anger and hurt. A woman likes honesty in a relationship, Darien and you lied to me when we first met. When I found out I wondered what else you had lied to me about. When you were convicted, that was the straw that broke the camels back. What was I supposed to think, Darien? I'm a doctor, you're a thief. What were you trying to steal from me? Were you with me because you could live off me or did you really love me?"

"The only thing I'm guilty off stealing was your heart," Darien lowered his head, "I know…a lame and corny cliché but true. You have to believe me, I did not molest that old man, I was giving him CPR. And technically speaking another conviction was false. My prints were lifted and I was framed for a job I didn't do." Darien turned to face Casey and he took her hands in his, "When I asked if we could start from scratch, I meant it. So, here goes nothin'." Darien cleared his throat, "Hi, my name is Darien Fawkes, I'm a thief, well, ex-thief but now I work for the government, at least I did before Captain Trips. I got out of prison because my brainiac brother gave me an offer to be a human guinea pig in a science experiment. I agreed, so he drilled a hole in my head and inserted a bio-synthetic gland that makes me turn invisible. I worked for the Agency, lame I know but that's the truth. For two years I made the world safe for day traders and latte drinkers from other science experiments, terrorists and Canadian Nationals."

Casey laughed, "That is the sorriest pick up line I've ever heard."

"Hey, it's the truth!" Darien snarled.

"Oh Darien, I didn't say I didn't believe you, just that your pick up line was pathetic." Casey laughed louder.

"Somehow I get the impression that you're laughing at me." Darien paused and thought about his pick up line, "Yeah, it does sound pathetic doesn't it, but that's my life in a nut shell."

"Well, okay then, my name Casey O'Claire, nice to meet you Darien Fawkes." Casey shook Darien's hand.

Darien looked at their hands, "So…does this mean you're willing to give us a second chance?"

"Darien, if I can't find the room in my heart to forgive then how can love have a chance in my life?" Casey leaned closer to Darien. "We are all instantly forgiven; but in order to benefit from this forgiveness, we must in turn forgive others and ourselves."

Darien smiled, "Why Case, since when did you start reading philosophy?"

"Since Bobby would sit by your bed reading from a book he found at the library. He thought that reading it to you would help in your recovery. I told him that it was a good idea for you to hear his voice." Casey paused, "I read to you too. He said that it would be a good idea for you to hear my voice also."

"My partner the match maker," Darien mused.

"Well, I think he was repaying you for getting him and Claire together," Casey said.

Darien touched Casey's face with his hand and pulled her in for a kiss. Hobbes watched, "That a boy, Fawkes." Hobbes left the two to be alone and went searching for a house. Since they were going to be in town for a while, staying in the motel was something that Hobbes did not want to do.

Darien and Casey broke their passionate kiss. They stared into each others eyes for a moment. "You look tired, Darien. Let me help you get inside."

"Uh huh," Darien grunted. Casey helped Darien to his feet and they both walked back to the motel room.

Darien looked around, "What happened to Hobbes?"

"Don't know. He probably went off on another one of his excursions." Casey said.

Darien put his hands on Casey's shoulders and pulled her in close. He looked at her and their lips met again for another kiss. Casey felt cold and when she opened her eyes, Darien was orange.

"What the…?" Casey exclaimed.

"Oh crap, Case, I forgot to tell you. This happens when well, I uhmm…get…excited…you know, the adrenaline goes up."

Casey smiled, "This could be a new experience for me."

"Oh I believe that, don't think you've ever had this happen before." Darien fell to the bed taking Casey with him. Clothes appeared on the floor as they undressed each other. The covers move and formed one large lump on the bed when Darien and Casey retreated under the covers.

Claire had greeted each new day with hope, until about a week ago when a group came in reported an explosion out west. She and Frannie knew right away that Las Vegas had met with some catastrophic end. That also meant that the men and the spies that went out to Las Vegas, including Darien and Hobbes were gone.

Claire, Frannie and Lucy had started their own little support group. They met nearly everyday to talk about the men they loved. They had more in common then they knew. Each realized they fell in love shortly after the flu broke out. All three women were also pregnant. Frannie was due around the first week of January with Claire and Lucy around spring time.

Claire kept the two gals amused with stories of Bobby and Darien's exploits, leaving out some confidential information of course. She enjoyed these talks, but the hard part was when they left. Except for her, the house was empty. She wasn't ready to leave and move into an apartment and she also held onto Darien's house. Maybe deep down inside, she believed they had escaped. They had gotten themselves out of worse situations before, why would this be any different.

Claire stood outside on the porch and looked up at the nighttime sky. "I miss you guys." With a tear rolling down her cheek, "I love you, Bobby." Claire said and then cried.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

"I wanted a perfect ending. Now I've learned, the hard way, that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next. Delicious Ambiguity."-- Gilda Radner 

As the weeks went on the hope faded. Thanksgiving went by and then Christmas. New Year's came with hope for a new year, but for the three women, no good news about the men. Frannie went into labor and Claire was with her. She delivered a baby boy and named him Peter Goldsmith-Redman. Frannie was fine but the baby had come down with Captain Trips a day later.

George Richardson was able to give his full time to the baby since a new doctor had arrived. His name was Dan Lathrop and this pleased Claire as well. He took a load off of Claire and she worked in the lab most of time. She took a break and sat with Frannie.

"How's Peter, Claire?" Frannie asked, her eyes swollen and red from all the crying.

"He's hanging in there, Frannie." Claire said, "I'm trying so hard to find a cure for Captain Trips but the flu mutates so fast. It's like it was designed to counter any form of antibiotic." Claire noticed that Frannie was about to cry again, "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have told you that."

"No, it's not that, it's not just for Peter. For your baby, Lucy's…all the babies. I know that you're trying to stop the flu for all of us. It's got to be just as hard on you as it is on me. Knowing that what I'm going through, you and Lucy will have to face it too."

Claire started to cry, "I'm trying so hard to save our babies and I can't find the answer." Claire thought back to the time with the bacteria, how things seemed so hopeless then at the last moment she found the cure. She smiled.

"What?" Frannie asked.

"Oh, I was just thinking of a time back at the agency when we were all infected with a bacterium that made us ill, very ill. It was going to be a scientific breakthrough." Claire paused and started to laugh, "Bobby had eaten a hamburger from this less than clean restaurant. Later he had come down with food poisoning. As it turned out, his illness prevented him from getting sick like the rest of us."

"So, what did you do?" Frannie sat up in bed. She enjoyed Claire's stories and they always seemed to have a happy ending.

"Well, it was the mayonnaise that was on the hamburger. I ordered another agent to grab the mayo tub and bring it to the lab. So, Darien, the Official, and myself ate the mayonnaise. We got food poisoning, vomited for hours, but we recovered. My little science project was taken away and destroyed." Claire smiled, "I stumbled across something and I let it get out of hand and it nearly cost us our lives. I guess I need to prove to myself that I can find a cure to Captain Trips so it doesn't claim our children or anybody else again."

"Claire, you're smart, I believe in you." Frannie touched Claire's hand.

"Please, Frannie, I don't need anymore pressure. I was hoping since both you and Stuart were immune that you would pass that immunity off to Peter. I'm still hoping that it's something temporary." Claire patted Frannie's hand, "I'll keep you posted. I still have my notes from when I was at the CDC with Darien, so I know the answer is in there somewhere. I just need to keep running tests." Claire stood up, "In the meantime, get some rest."

"You too." Frannie said with a smile.

Claire smiled and walked out of the room. She headed back to the lab to continue her research.

"Well, I guess we should have left before the snow fell, huh?" Darien watched the snow fall from the window. It was night time and the fireplace was going. Casey sat on the couch bundled under a blanket. They had been at the house Hobbes found for a couple months during Darien's recuperation.

Hobbes put another log in the fire, and grunted at Darien, "You know what you're problem is, you complain too much. Enjoy life, my friend. You've been given more second chances than anyone I know. You're like a freakin' cat, but with twenty lives."

Darien smiled. He helped Hobbes with another log. Darien poured water into a kettle and hung it over the fire, "Okay, prepare your taste buds for a Fawkes treat, hot cocoa with marshmallows, although it tastes better with hot milk, but water will have to do." Darien paused and thought for a moment, "Do marshmallows go bad?"

"Fawkes, you talk too much," Hobbes rubbed his hands near the fire to warm them up.

"The little marshmellows or the big ones?" Casey asked.

"The little ones," Darien answered as he got under the blanket with Casey. "So, how do you expect us to get back to Boulder in this weather?"

"Snowmobiles, my friend." Hobbes said as he got under the blanket next to Darien. "Okay, Fawkes do that thing you do."

Darien let the quicksilver flow over their bodies. In a moment they were invisible and surrounded by an insulating polymer. The protective coating acted like an insulator trapping their body heat.

"Well, one thing is for sure. I can tell Claire that her theory that the poly thingy does protect us from freezing temperatures and keeps us warm." Darien said.

"It's like having our own thermal blanket," Casey said. She snuggled up closer to Darien.

"Except a thermal blanket doesn't fall asleep on you and then flakes off leaving you exposed to the cold air." Hobbes said.

"Hey, I need my sleep too you know." Darien sneered.

"Well, you're not exactly Sleeping Beauty."

"You snore like an elephant in heat."

"Boys, I think the water is boiling." Casey said interrupting the argument.

Darien and Hobbes looked at each other. "Rock, paper, scissors?" Hobbes asked.

"You're on," Darien replied. Casey shook her head in disbelief.

Darien lost and had to get the water. They enjoyed hot chocolate with marshmallows while they discussed the trip home. They planned on leaving in the morning to get the supplies they needed. Hobbes had found a ski shop with everything they would need for the trip. He hoped that they would be in Boulder in two days or less.

Tom and Stu were already on their way and were only an hour away from Boulder. Tom was excited to be so close to home. Stu was anxious to get back to Frannie.

They pulled up to a road block a short time later. Stu was told that Frannie had the baby and he was taken directly to the hospital. He walked into Frannie's room. Stu stopped and stared at her.

Frannie turned her head and her eyes went wide, "Stu? Please tell me I'm not dreaming?"

"You're not dreamin', darlin'," Stu approached her and they hugged.

Claire came running in, "Oh my God," she covered her mouth with her hand, "Please, Stu tell me," Claire prepared herself.

Stu shook his head, "I didn't see 'em, but Tom did. They were in Las Vegas," Stu got up to hug Claire, "Tom left before the explosion, so we don't really know for sure if they were still there."

Claire shook her head, "I understand…" Claire swallowed hard, "But they would have been back by now." Claire turned to walk out and then turned around, "Welcome back, Stu." She left and ran down the hall.

Stu turned back around and saw that Frannie was crying. "Oh darlin'," Stu took her into arms.

"I feel so guilty," Frannie looked at Stu, "You came back, why didn't Bobby?"

"Look, we don't know for sure. My dreams stopped the night of explosion. Tom still had his but later they stopped for him too."

George Richardson came in, "Welcome back, Stu."

"Doc Richardson, how's Peter?" Frannie asked with a fearful tone.

"That's what I came to tell you, Frannie. Peter is fine; looks like the worst had passed. He's going to be just fine."

Stu helped Frannie up and they both went to see the baby. Lucy walked in with Joe a few moments later. Stu told her what had happened and she accepted the news.

The following day, Claire decided not to go in to work. She sat in the basement looking at the new dentist chair Hobbes had brought in. Darien of course was disgusted about the chair. Claire smiled at the makeshift lab the three of them had put together in secret. She didn't know why she kept it up but she still had that feeling deep down inside. Even though at times her hope faded, she still held on.

Claire was startled from her daydream when she heard a car horn. She ran upstairs and put her coat on. Claire opened the front door and saw a car leading three snowmobiles. She thought that at first someone had been injured. She walked down the steps carefully towards the street.

"Claire!!!"

Claire stopped, she recognized that voice. At first she didn't move, she was frozen right where she stood. She watched as the one who called out her name pull down the parka hood to expose his face.

"Claire!!" Hobbes started to run.

"Bobby!?! Oh my God!!" Claire walked quickly to him.

Darien and Casey watched and smiled at each other. They hugged each other and decided to join Hobbes and Claire.

Some people came out of their homes and ran across the street. Tom had heard the car honking and wanted to check it out. When he saw Hobbes his face lit up. He knew that Darien had to be close by. He yelled out, "Bobby!!"

Darien turned his head in Tom's direction and pulled off the hood on his parka, "Big guy!!!"

Tom stopped dead in his tracts and stared. He snapped out of it and ran towards Darien. "Oh crap!" Darien exclaimed as he was snatched up in a bear hug. Casey laughed.

"Tom Cullen is happy, laws yes! I thought you were dead…m-o-o-n that spells dead." Tom squeezed Darien even tighter.

Darien coughed, "I will be if you don't let up."

"I saw you in the cage, Darien. It scared me, laws yes." Tom looked sad.

"What? Wait…you were in Las Vegas?" Darien questioned.

"I'll have Stu explain that one," Claire said, "Now come here and let me hit you for leaving."

"It's okay, Keepie, he learned his lesson," Hobbes said. He hugged Claire again. This time he didn't want to let go, he wanted to hold her forever.

"Okay, this is great and all, but I've spent the last day and half on this thing and my butt hurts. Can we take this inside?" Darien said rubbing his rear.

The whole group went inside. Darien introduced Casey and Claire was happy that another doctor had arrived. Claire took her parka jacket off and Hobbes eyes went wide, "Claire!! You're…"

"Yes, Bobby, I'm pregnant," Claire said smiling.

"Is it…am I…?" Hobbes stuttered.

"Yes, Bobby, you're going to be a father." Claire hugged Bobby.

Hobbes let go of Claire to feel her tummy. "I don't believe this…me…a father."

"You the man!" Darien low fived Hobbes. "Whoa…check it out…a little Hobbesy."

Stories were swapped about what happened in Boulder and in Las Vegas. Hobbes and Darien left out the more confidential parts of their story. Some more people come over for the reunion including Stu. They sat and talked for hours. By midnight the whole town knew that Darien and Hobbes had returned safe and sound.

Stu had been put back in charge of the new committee and he called for a meeting to be held the following evening. The town had grown so much that they could no longer meet at the small lodge they had before. Now the town meetings were held at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Stu got up and shooed everyone out so that Claire and Hobbes could spend some time alone. Claire was grateful; she didn't want to be rude and kick people out. Claire sat back down and saw that Darien was in deep thought. "Darien, what's on your mind?"

Darien looked around the room, "What if Captain Trips wasn't completely the military's handy work?"

"What you talkin' about, Fawkes?" Hobbes asked.

"Okay, look, Allianora tried to warn me that something was going happen, but she died right? And we know that Chrysalis was freezing the scientists. I mean, what if this is what they were planning?"

Claire was taking in every word that Darien spoke, "Darien, I don't think…" Claire paused, she thought about it some more, "At first I'd say it was far fetched, but I think you're on to some thing."

"There you go." Darien said pointing to Claire, "I mean think about it…Captain Trips kills what…maybe 80% or less of the population. Now Chrysalis has only 20% of the population to contend with, but they also have all the smart people frozen."

"Yeess…protecting them from the flu." Hobbes said, "But if they unfroze the popsicles, wouldn't they be exposed to the flu like the rest of us?"

"Yes, Bobby they would…unless they were inoculated before the freezing process. That would mean that Chrysalis would have a vaccine." Claire said.

"Bingo…now that's what I'm talking about," Darien said. "Allianora said that something big was going to happen and that's why they were taking the scientists. Just look at the ones they took, they were from any and every specialty under the sun."

Claire shook her head, "The ones they would need to start a society all over again."

"Yeah, but a society based on Chrysalis doctrine." Darien said.

"Okay, I know I'm late in the game but I don't understand a thing you are talking about. Who's Chrysalis?" Casey asked. She had sat and listened to the whole exchange. The things she heard though worried her.

"I'll have to explain that one to you later," Darien said as he patted Casey on her leg.

"Well, there's only one way to find out if what you're saying is true, my friend," Hobbes said. "We'll have to go back to San Diego and investigate the cocoon people."

"When do we leave?" Claire asked.

"ASAP, we shouldn't sit on this too long. Can you travel?" Hobbes asked Claire.

"Yeah, I can travel." Claire said.

Hobbes filled in the missing parts of their story that they told earlier to Claire. He told her everything from Flagg putting Darien into QSM to him shooting Hobbes and then taking off for Boulder.

Claire looked at Darien, "What were you supposed to do here?"

"Do as much damage as I could in a month, like poison the water, you know, your run of the mill mayhem and then get out. He was going to send in the planes to blow this whole city off the face of the earth." Darien looked down at his hands that were folded on his lap. He didn't want to tell Claire the things he imagined he would do to her when he arrived. All of that was still fresh in his mind. "The weird thing is the madness wasn't like before. This time it was like I could see his mind. Not read his mind like ESP, but see it. All his plans, what he wanted to do. This dude was not stacking a full deck."

"A french fry short of a happy meal," Hobbes added.

"The lights were on but nobody was home."

"The elevator didn't reach the top floor."

"He was a sandwich shy of a picnic."

"He made as much sense as a screen door on a submarine." Hobbes winked.

"Okay…I think we got it!" Claire exclaimed. Her head fell into her hands as she moved her head back and forth.

Casey sat back and laughed, "They do this a lot don't they?"

"Yes," Claire said through gritted teeth, "And it's very annoying."

After they spent some time together, Darien and Casey decided it was time to leave. They went to Darien's house next door. When they walked inside it was nice and warm. He was thankful that Stu had gone over and turned the furnace on. Darien picked up Casey and carried her upstairs and into his bedroom. He set her down, they hugged and he held her close. "I don't want to let you go," Darien whispered in her ear.

"Then don't," Casey pressed her mouth against his.

Hobbes and Claire undressed and got under the warm covers. "That was some story, Bobby."

"Yeah, that part is over, but it looks like what's left of the agency is still in business." Bobby turned off the light and held Claire close.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

"If you don't like the way the world is, you change it. You have an obligation to change it. You just do it one step at a time."  
-- Marian Wright Edelman (b. 1939) 

The next morning, Darien found himself sitting on the new chair. Claire wanted to run some tests on the gland to make sure everything was okay. Casey helped and was amused that Darien acted worse then the pediatric patients that she saw.

"You know, I thought the days of this chair were over." Darien complained as Claire shined a light in his eyes. He blinked and moved his head away.

"Oh will you stop fidgeting," Claire demanded, "If you stay still, you'll be finish soon and you can have that snowball fight with Tom."

Darien had a defeated look on his face, "Alright, go ahead and blind me," he stayed still up to a certain amount of time. "Are you done yet?"

Claire turned and looked at Casey, "Do you see what I've had to put with for the past two years! Are you sure you want a lifetime of his childish behavior?" Claire was clearly getting annoyed.

"Must be the hormones," Darien smirked.

Claire glared at Darien, "Isn't there anything you can stay focused on for more than five minutes?"

"Yeah uhmmm…sure…there's…" Darien was interrupted.

"Darien, please…I don't think there's a man out there who isn't focused on sex 24 hours a day!"

"Well, you did ask…am I done yet?" Darien was now just trying to get under Claire's skin.

Darien was saved from a raging pregnant woman by Hobbes' abrupt entrance. "Hey, I got skates," Hobbes held up four pairs of ice skates, "Let's go skating."

Darien leaped off the chair, "Sounds great to me. Anything is better than this."

"You've ice skated before, Gilligan?" Hobbes asked as he handed Darien a pair of skates.

"Roller skated," Darien checked out the size of the black skates, "I'll catch on." Darien flew up the flight of stairs.

Claire approached Hobbes, "Bobby, you know I can't," she touched her belly.

"Nonsense, pregnant woman do stuff like this all the time. Its great exercise and it gets you out of the house." Hobbes kissed her softly on her lips, "Besides, it's not like we're pair figure skating or any like that. I don't intend on throwing you in the air to do a triple axle."

Claire looked at the skates Hobbes handed her and a smile spread across her face, "Okay, sure."

The two couples made it the outdoor rink that had been set up. People from all over Boulder were coming out to take a break. They put their skates on and headed out. Bobby guided Claire to center rink, turned and faced her.

Claire brushed the hair from her face, "Bobby, what are you doing?"

Darien spotted the two and he grabbed Casey, "Case, he's gonna do it!" he said in excitement. Casey held Darien's hand and they watched as Hobbes got down on one knee.

Claire looked around and saw everyone stop and stare at her and Hobbes. "Bobby?" Claire asked. Confusion then realization hit when she saw Hobbes reach into his jacket. He pulled out a box.

"Claire, I don't have a speech or anything like that to say. So, I'm just gonna come out and say it." He took her left hand and held the ring with his fingers. "Will you marry me?"

"Oh crap!" Darien said. Casey hit him. "Owww! What you do that for?"

"Stop ruining the moment."

Claire looked at Hobbes and started to cry, "Yes."

Hobbes put the ring on her finger; he stood up and hugged her. Darien and Casey started clapping and cheering. The rest of the crowd joined in.

Hobbes stood and placed his hands on her shoulders, "Are you sure, cause with Bobby Hobbes you get the whole package. My lack of mental stability chased Viv away; I don't want the same thing to happen with you." Hobbes paused, he looked down at the ice, "I care about you too much to ruin what we have. I don't want my issues to come between us. I guess that's why I never really said anything to you, afraid you wouldn't want a nut case like Bobby Hobbes…" Hobbes stopped when he felt a gloved finger touch his lips.

"Shut up, Bobby." Claire said. "You think too much…just go with it." Claire kissed him. They wrapped their arms around each other and deepened the kiss.

The day saw a few more people trickling in. With the bad weather the way it was, it was a surprise to see new faces. Darien spent most of the day having snowball fights with Tom and Joe. It was also a chance to stay away from the clutches of the mad scientist and her evil doctor twin. He had been poked and prodded all morning by Claire and Casey and he had enough.

Casey and Claire watched them from the porch. "Darien told me about Tom. Their lives practically mirror each other," Casey commented. She thought of the stories that Darien told her. She felt sorry for Tom.

"Yeah, I guess that's why Darien cares so much for him. Both their fathers walked out on them and then their mothers pass away. Darien understands Tom." Claire said with a hint of sadness in her voice.

Stu once again stood behind the podium. There was a standing ovation for him in the large theatre on the University of Colorado campus. And like before, they started with the National Anthem. Stu gave an account of what happened on his trip and how Tom saved him. Tom stood up and waved the old cowboy hat that Ralph had given him before Tom left for Las Vegas. Stu went on with the agenda for the evening.

"There seems to be a lot more people here in Boulder since I left." Stu was interrupted by more applause.

Darien turned to Casey, "This dude could run for President."

"He seems to be a natural," Casey commented.

Stu continued his speech, "I've talked with some of the committee heads and we have agreed to reinstate the Boulder City Police Department. The Boulder County Sheriff Department will handle the entire county, just like before." Stu looked around the room and saw that the majority of the people were in agreement. "There are some people moving in other areas outside of the city limit and we figure come spring, there's going to be more. So with that in mind, we need a Police Chief." Stu looked down at his notes, "Before all the Flagg business started we had a sheriff, Robert Hobbes." Stu motioned to Hobbes.

"Is he still sheriff?" Someone shouted from the back. There was a murmur from the crowd.

Darien pointed to Hobbes, "You're famous."

Hobbes sneered at Darien.

Stu waved his hand, "Now hold on here, I'm gettin' to that, just give me a sec. There was a temporary sheriff in Hobbes absence we all know that. Rick Stanton will gladly step down to let Hobbes continue as our sheriff. But the committee has decided to nominate former Special Agent Darien Fawkes to the position of Police Chief of this city."

Darien was stunned; he turned to Casey, "Did he just say my name?"

"Yes, he did," Casey nudged him.

"Oh crap."

The crowd applauded their approval. Stu looked at Darien with a smile, "Come on up here, Darien, so everyone can see ya."

With some reluctance, Darien stood up and walked to the podium. He looked over the large crowd. Hobbes turned to Claire, "He looks like a deer staring into head lights."

Darien ran his hand through his spiked hair, "Whoa…I don't know what to say…"

"Fawkes…speechless…it can't be." Hobbes stated.

"I heard that…" Darien sneered as he glared at Hobbes. There was some laughter from the people sitting around Hobbes. "If this had been two and a half years ago, I don't think you'd be offering this to me," Darien smiled, he looked down at his hands that now gripped the sides of the podium, "I'm…ah…flattered actually…but I'm going to have to decline…" Darien saw all shocked looks. Even Stu and Frannie quickly turned their heads to look at each other.

Darien didn't wait for the murmur to quiet down, he planted his feet and squared his shoulders, "Before Captain Trips, Hobbes and I were working hard to make the world safe…sounds like we're a couple of hippies doesn't it?" Laughter erupted along with some sporadic sounds of hand clapping. "That part of our job hasn't changed. What happened in Las Vegas kinda proves that." Darien ran his hand over his chin, "I guess what I'm trying to say is…we're going back to San Diego…at the end of the week." Darien's eyes went directly to Tom. He had been fidgeting with Ralph's hat and didn't look up. Darien sighed deeply, "I'm sorry, but this is something we have to do…we believe that…"

Darien was interrupted by the deep but child-like voice of Tom, "You got more bad guys to catch." Tom didn't ask he made his statement sound more like he was stating a fact.

Darien peered at Casey, Hobbes and Claire. He looked around the room and returned his gaze on Tom, their eyes met, "Uhmm…yeah, Tom, we do." They had to go back and find out if Darien's suspicions are true. These people had come through so much and Darien couldn't let it all go to waste. Chrysalis had to be stopped.

Stu walked up and shook Darien's hand. "Good luck," Stu said. The two men embraced, people stood up and started clapping. Stu and Darien peered out over the crowd. "Looks like you've got a whole lot of people to protect," Stu stated.

Darien shook his head in agreement and walked back to his seat. Casey hugged him, "You did great."

"Then why do I feel like a jerk?" Darien said as Tom approached, twirling the hat in his hands. Darien walked off with Tom alone to talk to him. He had contemplated taking Tom with them, but had decided that Tom would be safer in boulder.

Casey watched with curiosity. Darien had been so different from when they first met. She saw the change in him and suspected that the Darien she sees now has always been there, just needed something in his life to pull him out. With a bit irony, she views him as the humanitarian he said he was but had lied about.

As it had turned out by end of the week, Stu and Frannie had decided to go back to Maine. Frannie was missing her home. They were going to leave in the spring.

Hobbes and Claire were married by a Justice of the peace who had come in while he and Darien were gone. Claire didn't mind not having the big church wedding. These days, those kinds of things didn't matter. She had always felt that people put too much emphasis on the reception, the dress and things like that rather than what the wedding truly means. She had wanted to be married by the time they left and their wedding was very simple.

The wedding was held in the same hall the whole town met that first night when Mother Abigail had disappeared. The reception was in another part of the building. Claire had found a simple wedding dress, nothing special. Casey was her maid of honor and Darien was the best man. They exchanged their vows and it was time to party.

Hobbes and Claire danced to "I Do (Cherish You)" by 98 Degrees. They held each other close as they swayed across the dance floor. Darien was glad to see that Hobbes had finally gotten the courage to take that leap and tell Claire how he felt. Hobbes needed to know that not only could he love again but that he could be loved.

After dinner was brought out it was time for what some considered the best part. The bouquet and garter toss. Claire knew who she wanted to catch it and she made sure that she threw it straight at Casey.

Darien watched as the bouquet went straight into the hands of Casey. "Whoa…partner!" Hobbes exclaimed as he patted Darien on the back, "Looks like you better catch that garter, unless you don't mind another man touching her."

Hobbes took the garter off of Claire and all the single guys stood in line. Luckily for Darien he was the tallest one out there except for maybe Tom. As fate would have it, Darien did catch the garter and he got to put it on Casey. Darien suspected that most of the people planned it to happen that way. Casey and Darien danced to "She" by Elvis Costello.

Hobbes and Claire joined them on the dance floor. Darien winked at Casey, "I'll be back." He left Casey standing there. Darien tapped Hobbes on his shoulder, "I'm butting in, get lost." Darien danced with Claire and Hobbes danced with Casey.

Hobbes and Claire had been nice to each other during the cake cutting. But Darien had started an impromptu cake fight and the hall was a mess. Hobbes had told Claire that he would help clean her up.

"Are you going to clean me up too?" Casey purred in Darien's ear.

"Why do you think I started the cake fight?" Darien wiggled his brow. He bent down and licked some of the cake off Casey's face. "Hmmm…we should get some more whip cream."

"Darien Gerard Fawkes!" Casey yelled out.

Hobbes snickered, "Gerard? That's what the "G" stands for? That's sad my friend. How come you never told me?"

"You never asked," Darien shrugged his shoulders. "And besides you didn't need to know." The four of them laughed.

Hobbes and Claire left later followed by Darien and Casey. They were leaving in the morning and needed to get some rest. Hobbes had promised Claire a true honeymoon as soon as possible.

During the week Claire had cleaned out her basement to get rid of the lab equipment. The only thing she was taking with her were the disks on the QS9300 Project. She could get another laptop in San Diego.

They were riding on snowmobiles; the roads in the city were plowed but not the ones leading into Boulder. They would get a car once in Southern New Mexico. The snow should be minimal there.

Tom came up to Darien, "Here, I guess you need this back." He was giving Darien back his badge.

Darien looked down at the open hand and saw the shinny badge. Tom had kept real good care of it. He sighed deeply, "No, Tom you keep it. You earned it. What you did in Las Vegas was very brave. You're a secret agent, the best I've ever saw."

Tom eyes glistened, "Really?" Tom paused, "You coming back after you catch the bad guys?"

Darien looked at the others, "I think so Tom." He turned his gaze back on Tom, "But you understand that's something I can't promise."

"Tom understands, don't make promises that you can't keep. My momma always used to tell me that. A broken promise is like lying and that's not good, laws yes."

Darien brushed the hair from Tom's face, "Tom, if it's possible, I'll be back. We'll play hide and seek again, okay?"

"Hide and seek! Tom loves that game, laws yes!" Tom gave Darien another bear hug, but with all the clothing he couldn't put the squeeze on Darien.

The four of them got on the snowmobiles and headed out of Boulder. Darien looked back and saw Tom waving his old straw cowboy hat. That was an image that Darien would take with him all the way to San Diego and at all costs he will stop Chrysalis.

Stu and Frannie watched as their four friends drove away. 'All any of us can do is buy time,' Stu thought to himself. 'Peter's lifetime, his children's lifetime and so on. Until the year 2100, maybe, surely no longer than that. Maybe not even that long. Time enough for earth to recycle and it all starts over again. Maybe people like Darien and Hobbes can make a difference and give us a better start. It's a season of rest.'

"What did you say, Stu?" Frannie asked. Stu had murmured out loud.

Stu looked down at her, "A season of rest."

"What do you mean,?" Frannie asked with confusion.

"In the bible, after the sixth year the farmers would give their land a time of rest, the seventh year, a season of rest. That's what I figure we're in now."

"Do you think we learned anything from this?" Frannie asked.

"If we tell our children and they pass the story on. Warn them about the toys of destruction. How the devil guided men's minds to make these deadly toys. We have to make our children understand not to play with them again and let this be the lesson learned." Stu said. The snowmobiles were gone from sight. Stu walked slowly back to the house.

"What do you think Darien and Hobbes are going to do in San Diego?" Frannie walked beside Stu.

"I reckon they're going to start the lesson." Stu said simply.


	18. Epilogue

Epilogue

The lone figure staggered to his feet and almost fell. He felt hung over. His legs were shaky. Finally making it to his feet, he looked out over the water and the greenery around him. He staggered towards the jungle. Hunger gripped him like a vice.

'Who am I?' He wondered.

'Where am I?' What did it matter? His mind was as blank as a newborn baby.

As he made his way towards the jungle a group of people came out to him. He asked them if they spoke English, nothing. He went through the list of languages, still nothing. 'How do I know all these words?' he wondered again.

The people held spears and as soon as he started speaking the spears fell to the ground. The people bowed to him, reached out to him. They were simple, natives, unlearned, just what he was looking for.

The man wearing only blue jeans and grungy cowboy boots spoke, "My name is Russell Faraday and I have a mission." He doesn't know where the words came from; they just came out of his mouth. At that moment a butterfly flew on his hand and a single word flashed in his mind, "Chrysalis…my mission is Chrysalis!" Russell shouted as if the wind had blown away the fog in his mind.

Russell Faraday began to laugh. He threw his head back and raised his arms. His vision caught sight of something in the sky. A very odd cloud formation, it looked like…a…fox. He studied it, "Not fox…Fawkes…where have I heard that before? I need to get off this island." Russell hoped that these islanders could help him.

Stark stood by the huge window overlooking what was left of San Diego. The past eight months had proven to be very rewarding for him. The flu had worked as planned with better results then what had been predicted. But there was still one loose string that needed to be cut.

A knock at the door shook him from his day dream. "Yes, come in." He continued to stare out the window.

"Sir, we've searched everywhere and there is no sign of Agent Fawkes." The man stated with a certain fear in his voice. This was considered bad news and no one liked giving Stark bad news.

"I don't like it one bit. I want to be absolutely sure that Captain Trips took care of Agent Fawkes before I move on to the next phase. He has been a thorn in my side for far too long now." Stark paused, he then turned to the man standing in the center of his office, "He's out there somewhere…I can feel it. Somehow he was one of the few survivors. I want him found!" Stark punctuated his last word by banging his fist on the desk. "Find him!"

"Yes, sir!" The man scurried from the office, leaving Stark alone again to his thoughts.

Stark turned and once again, gazed out his window. The images of Fawkes dying by his own two hands brought a malevolent smile to his face.

"Life-the way it really is-is a battle not between Bad and Good but between Bad and Worse."-- Joseph Brodsky 

The End.


End file.
